TREASURY

Economic Growth (Immigration)

Peter Lilley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions he has made, in forecasting economic growth, about the impact of immigration on (a) the growth of the labour force and (b) the rate of growth of productivity per head of the existing labour force.

John Healey: Net inward migration makes a positive contribution to growth of the UK labour force and the trend rate of output growth. Details of the Treasury's methodology for projecting trend growth and its productivity and labour input components are set out in the publication Trend Growth: Recent Developments and Prospects" (2002). The projection for net inward migration is based on projections by the Government Actuary's Department. The Treasury's latest published economic forecast and underlying assumptions for trend growth and its components were set out in Budget 2005, and will be updated in the forthcoming pre-Budget report.

Climate Change

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has commissioned on the relative costs of energy sources and tackling climate change.

John Healey: This Government attach great importance to tackling climate change, as demonstrated by their decision to make climate change a priority for the UK presidencies of the G8 and EU. To build up our knowledge base of the challenges we face the Chancellor has asked Sir Nick Stern to lead a major review of the economics of climate change. This review will allow us to understand more comprehensively the nature of the economic challenges we face and how they can be met, in the UK and globally.
	The review will report to the Prime Minister and Chancellor by autumn 2006.

Biofuels (Capital Allowances)

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the capital allowances are for the development of biofuel production.

John Healey: Budget 2005 announced that the Government considered that offering enhanced capital allowances for the cleanest biofuels processing plants would be a useful additional measure of support to the UK biofuels industry, subject to Commission approval. We are currently undertaking further detailed work on this issue and will update the position as part of the pre-Budget report. Where combined heat and power is used as part of biofuels plant, that equipment is already eligible for a 100 per cent. ECA.

Millennium Development Goals

Colin Burgon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution he is making towards meeting the 2015 targets for reducing world poverty.

Ivan Lewis: UK aid will reach nearly £6.5 billion a year by 2007–08, and the Chancellor has announced that we will reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent. overseas development aid as proportion of gross national income in 2013.

Stamp Duty

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised by stamp duty in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 2004–05.

Ivan Lewis: The amount of revenue raised in 1996–97 by stamp duty on residential land and property transactions was £675 million.
	The amount of revenue raised in 2004–05 by stamp duty land tax on residential land and property transactions was £5.5 billion.

Stamp Duty

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised from stamp duty, on (a) residential and (b) commerical property in (i) each Government office region, (ii) Wales, (iii)Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996–97.

Ivan Lewis: Latest estimates of the amount of stamp duty raised on residential land and property transactions are available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/table15_2_ october04.pdf
	Latest estimates for stamp duty raised on commercial transactions are given in the table.
	
		£ million
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 385 665 1,075 1,360 1,540 1,445 1,485 1,280 760 
			   
			 England and Wales 355 615 995 1,255 1,405 1,285 1,350 1,030 555 
			 North East 5 20 25 30 25 25 35 30 20 
			 North West 30 50 70 95 105 100 145 105 50 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 20 35 50 75 85 75 85 85 30 
			 East Midlands 20 31 130 70 60 65 80 55 30 
			 West Midlands 30 45 85 90 90 110 120 95 50 
			 East of England 40 55 80 110 115 155 135 95 35 
			 London 100 210 290 440 500 390 350 260 210 
			 South East 65 110 170 225 290 250 215 185 75 
			 South West 30 45 65 90 100 95 135 90 35 
			   
			 Wales 10 15 30 30 35 30 45 30 15 
			   
			 Scotland and Northern Ireland 30 50 80 105 135 160 135 245 205

European Single Currency

Ann Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the performance of the European single currency.

Ivan Lewis: To be fully equipped for the global economy, Europe must become more open and outward looking, more flexible and competitive, and more committed to reform to compete worldwide and move to full employment. Membership of the European single currency places an additional premium on flexibility in capital, product and labour markets since the ability to vary national interest rates and the nominal exchange rate between euro area countries no longer exists.

Debt Cancellation

Jim Devine: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the cancellation of debt for the world's poorest countries.

Ivan Lewis: At the annual meetings in September we secured agreement from the IMF and World Bank for multilateral debt relief for up to 38 of the world's most indebted countries of a full 100 per cent. Britain goes further than this and we will unilaterally service our share of the debts of other poor countries where the resources freed up will be used for poverty reduction.

Illegal Working

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the impact on tax revenues and the economy of illegal working by (a)British and EU citizens, (b) asylum seekers and (c)illegal immigrants.

John Healey: It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the impact on tax revenues and the economy of illegal working by British and EU citizens, asylum seekers or illegal immigrants.

Tax Credits

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the administration of the tax credits system.

Dawn Primarolo: In my statement to the House of 26 May I set out a series of important measures for improving the administration of tax credits. I updated the House on progress in a statement to the Treasury Sub-Committee on 26 October.
	Over 6 million families—nine out of 10 families in this country—are benefiting from tax credits. For the majority of families the system is working well. And it has helped lift more than half a million children out of poverty since 1998–99.

Tax Credits

Meg Hillier: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Hackney, South and Shoreditch received tax credits in 2004–05; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: In 2003–04 there were on average 4,600 families in the Hackney, South and Shoreditch constituency who benefited from child and working tax credits. Figures for 2004–05 will be available after family incomes and circumstances have been finalised.

Tax Credits

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claimants have made incorrect claims for (a) working tax credits and (b) child tax credits in 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the constituent of the right hon. Member for Birkenhead, Mrs. Williams of Slatey Road, Wirral, will receive the tax credits owed to her since July.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs is statutorily debarred from disclosing information relating to the tax affairs of individuals. The Tax Credit Office will however, be writing to the right hon. Gentleman very shortly about his constituent's claim for tax credits.

Tax Credits

Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the expenditure on child tax credit for parents of 16 to 19-year-olds in full-time education for (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08;
	(2)  what the estimated expenditure is on child benefit for 16 to 19-year-olds in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
	The latest figures on the number of children by age forwhom child benefit is received are published in Child Benefit. Quarterly Statistics. May 2005". The publication can be found on the HMRC website under the link given below:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/quarterlv.htm
	The latest figures available on the number of children by age for whom child tax credit is received are published in Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. April 2005". The publication can be found on the HMRC website under the link below:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/c-wtc-stats-april05.pdf

Minimum Wage

James McGovern: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of an extension of the minimum wage to 16 and 17-year-olds.

Dawn Primarolo: In its 2004 report, the Low Pay Commission proposed the introduction of a National Minimum Wage for 16 and 17-year-olds, at an hourly rate of £3.00 per hour. The Government accepted the Commission's recommendation and the Youth Rate was introduced in October 2004.
	The Government agree with the Commission that the Youth Rate puts a stop to clear exploitation while neither encouraging young people out of education nor harming the supply of training places.
	The Low Pay Commission are currently considering a range of matters in connection with the minimum wage, including the impact of the new rate for 16 and 17-year-olds workers, and we expect to receive their report in spring 2006.

Minimum Wage

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses were found to be employing workers for less than the minimum wage in (a) Houghton and Washington East and (b) Sunderland city council area in each year since the minimum wage was introduced; and how many were (i)fined and (ii) forced to cease trading.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
	National minimum wage statistical data are not held by reference to constituency or council areas.

City Academies

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects a resolution satisfactory to city academies to be reached following the discussions between his Department and colleagues at the Department for Education and Skills.

John Healey: Discussions with the Department for Educations and Skills are on-going, including about the impact of the VAT rules on academies. The Government are also in discussion with academies about this issue.

Golden Rule

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce an independent monitoring system for the Golden Rule.

Des Browne: Progress against the golden rule is measured by the average annual surplus on the current budget as a percentage of GDP since the cycle began. The independent Office for National Statistics produces the public finance and national accounts statistics on which this measurement is based. These statistics are subject to the same safeguards and quality control procedures that apply to all statistics produced within the National Statistics framework.
	In addition, the Comptroller and Auditor General has been asked to audit the end date of the previous economic cycle and give us his view as to whether the judgment is reasonable and cautious.

Child Trust Fund Vouchers

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequerhow many child trust fund vouchers had been issued up to 30 September in West Lancashire; how many of these have been cashed; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost. UK-wide information on the number of child trust fund vouchers issued and the number of accounts opened are published quarterly on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_trust_funds/child-trust-funds.htm. The second set of quarterly figures was published on 31 August 2005.
	Data showing activity to 20 November will be published on the 30 November 2005.

Childcare Vouchers

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the take-up rate of tax-free child care vouchers.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of the cost of the new tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) exemption for employer supported child care were included in page6 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report" and Financial Statement and Budget Report 2004" 1 . Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs are monitoring the levels of take-up but the information is not yet available.
	1 This page can be accessed at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/7A8/DF/bud04_cha_190.pdf

Document Terminology

Andrew Selous: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the use of the word spouse in official documents; if he will encourage the use of the term spouse/partner; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: For tax purposes, official documents and forms will continue to use the term spouse" where it already occurs. Following the start of the civil partnership scheme on the 5 December 2005 documents and forms will in due course include the term civil partner" to recognise this new relationship.
	From 5 December, in line with the changes to tax credits legislation made by the Civil Partnership Act and consequential regulations, child and working tax credits forms and documents will refer to an extended definition of the term 'couple', including same-sex couples.

Dormant Accounts

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the dates of meetings that have taken place between his officials and representatives of (a) banks and (b) building societies to discuss dormant accounts in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: HM Treasury meet regularly with representatives of banks and building societies to discuss this and other issues.

Dormant Accounts

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in discussions between his officials and representatives of (a) banks and (b) building societies on dormant accounts; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: As stated in the Budget 2005, HM Treasury is engaged in constructive discussions with the industry to take work on unclaimed assets forward. A report on progress will be made in due course.

Farming Industry (Suicides)

Anthony Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suicides were recorded in the farming industry in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 10 November 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to answer your question asking how many suicides were recorded in the farming industry in each of the last five years. (26269)
	The most recently available information is for deaths in 2004. Figures for deaths in farm workers or farm owners from suicide or injury or poisoning of undetermined intent are shown in the table for each year from 2000 to 2004.
	
		Number of deaths from intentional self-harm(1) and injury or poisoning of undetermined intent(2) in farm workers or farm owners(3), England and Wales, 2000–04(4)
		
			 Calendar year Number of deaths 
		
		
			 2000 58 
			 2001 55 
			 2002 45 
			 2003 55 
			 2004 42 
		
	
	(1)The cause of death for intentional self-harm was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (1CD-9) codes E950 to E959 for 2000, and for the years 2001 to 2004, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (1CD-10) codes X60-X84.
	(2)The cause of death for injury or poisoning of undetermined intent was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (1CD-9) codes E980 to E989 excluding E988.8 for 2000, and, for the years 2001 to 2004, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (1CD-10) codes Y10-Y34 excluding Y33.9 where the coroner's verdict was pending.
	(3)The occupation coded at death registration is the last gainful occupation of the deceased, as supplied by the informant who registers the death and is recorded for all persons aged 16 to 74. ONS Standard Occupation Classification 1990 (SOC90) was usedto code data for 2000, and ONS Standard Occupational Classification 2000 (SOC2K) was used to code data from 2001 to 2004.
	(4)Data are for occurrences of death in each calendar year.

Films (Tax Relief)

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will extend the deadline for principal photography and acquisition to be completed for filmsclaiming tax relief under section 48 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1997;
	(2)  what arrangements have been made for the transition period to the new tax credit system for films claiming under section 42 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government have recently carried out a consultation on the replacement of the current tax relief for UK film production. We will consider the representations that have been made and make an announcement in due course.

Land Registry (Birkenhead)

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors are responsible for the delay in settling the increase in the 2005–06 pay of Land Registry staff in Birkenhead; and whether the increase in pay will reflect the delay in the annual pay review.

Des Browne: For staff below the senior civil service, Departments and agencies have authority to determine pay and conditions, appropriate to their business needs and taking account of wider Government policies on public sector pay. Proposals for pay remits must be submitted, then negotiated with HM Treasury and, in most cases, are subject to ministerial approval. The length of time to agree is determined, In part, by the complexity of the proposals put forward.
	Having submitted their pay remit this year and following discussions with the Treasury and the Cabinet Office, the Land Registry entered into negotiations with the relevant trade union bodies on the final pay award to reach a settlement, publishing details of this year's offer to staff on November 8. The level of award will be back-dated by the Land Registry to the annual settlement date.

National Insurance Contributions Bill

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the possible impact of the National Insurance Contributions Bill on orchestras and ensembles.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Insurance Contributions Bill was introduced to ensure that employers and employees who have participated in tax avoidance pay their fair share of National Insurance Contributions on rewards of employment. It has no specific impact on orchestras and ensembles.

Revenue Increases

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Government have made of the causes of increases in (a) stamp duty revenues and (b) inheritance tax revenues since May 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Tax revenues will automatically rise each year as the economy grows, asset prices increase, more people are in work and people are earning more. This is a sign of economic success and increased national prosperity with employment increasing by over 2.2 million since 1997.
	The Government publish their analysis of the economic factors that influence tax revenues twice yearly: at the pre-Budget report and the Budget.

VAT

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the intended date is for introduction of VAT on outsourced insurance services; and whether it will apply to services outsourced to (a) Crown dependencies and overseas territories, (b) countries of the European Union and (c) other countries.

Ivan Lewis: HM Revenue and Customs issued a consultation document on the proposed changes to the VAT exemption for insurance-related services in July. The consultation exercise formally closed on 30 September 2005. The responses are currently being considered very carefully ahead of any decision.
	Whether UK VAT is chargeable on services outsourced from outside the UK depends on the exact nature of the service supplied. This will determine where they are deemed to be supplied. General administration services are deemed to be supplied where the supplier belongs and would be outside the scope of UK VAT when supplied from outside the UK.

Windfall Tax

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria are used to decide whether to impose windfall taxation.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government believe that a modern and fair tax system should encourage work and saving, keep pace with business practices and the global economy and provide the foundation for building world-class public services. The Government keep all taxes under review and any changes to taxation are considered as part of the normal Budget process.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Air Weapons

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many air weapon offences were committed in the Humberside police area in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		Offences involving air weapons recorded by Humberside police, 1999–2000 to 2003–04
		
			  Number of offences 
		
		
			 1999–2000 482 
			 2000–01 433 
			 2001–02(5) 410 
			 2002–03(6) 312 
			 2003–04 264 
		
	
	(5)Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by some police forces implementing the principles of the NationalCrime Recording Standard in advance of national implementation.
	(6)The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced on 1 April 2002. Figures before and after this date are not directly comparable.

Air Weapons

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill on the pastime of airsofting; and what representations he has received on this issue.

Hazel Blears: We have received representations fromboth participants and organisers, including the Association of British Airsoft, about the effects of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill and are considering whether it would be appropriate and possible for the sport of airsoft to be exempted from the provisions of the Bill without undermining its main purpose. Under the provisions of the Bill as currently drafted, participants will still be able to use their existing guns and will be able to buy any airsoft which is not so realistic as to make it indistinguishable from a real firearm.

Antisocial Behaviour

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those issued with antisocial behaviour orders in (a) England and Wales and (b) Tendling district have breached the terms of their order in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Data on convictions for breach of an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) are currently available from one June 2000 to 31 December 2003. Of the 1,892 ASBOs issued during this period within England and Wales, as reported to the Home office, 42 per cent. of persons (793) breached their ASBO on one or more occasions.
	ASBO breach data are available at Criminal Justice System area level only.

Asylum Seekers

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Somalian nationals have claimed asylum at Heathrow arriving on flights from (a) Nairobi and (b) Addis Ababa in the last five years.

Andy Burnham: In the last five years, 58 Somalian Nationals, arriving on flights from Nairobi, have claimed asylum at Heathrow and 44 Somalian Nationals, on arrival from flights from Addis Ababa, have claimed asylum at Heathrow over the corresponding period.

Asylum Seekers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of new substantive asylum applications received between 1 January and 30 June 2005 had initial decisions reached and served within two months.

Andy Burnham: Information on the timeliness of initial decisions is published quarterly and annually, data for Q2 2005 will be published in the Asylum Statistics: 3rd Quarter 2005 publication available on 22 November 2005 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Biometrics

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any future use of biometrics for both passports and identity cards will be entirely managed and delivered within the public sector.

Andy Burnham: It is currently envisaged that the services required to support the delivery of biometrics for the use in both passports and identity cards, will be managed within the public sector and delivered using both public and private sector resources. This approach ensures that the best possible use can be made of external capability, while retaining critical decision making and strategically important functions within the public sector. Any developments in the future will support this principle and will ensure that the public sector retains control of all key decision making in regard to the use of biometrics and all decisions about enrolments using biometrics.

Community Policing

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on community policing in Romford; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of ward policing in London.

Hazel Blears: The Government are committed to every area in England and Wales benefiting from dedicated, visible, accessible and responsive neighbourhood policing teams by 2008. Within London, the roll-out of safer neighbourhoods teams are a decision for the commissioner of the Metropolitan police. There are currently eight teams in the London borough of Havering, and the commissioner plans that all areas of London will benefit by April 2007.
	The Home Office has commissioned an evaluation of the impact of the National Reassurance Policing programme which includes four wards in the Metropolitan Police Service, in Bexley, Enfield, Kensington and Chelsea and Merton. This study will assess the impact of police activity on public feelings of safety and security, community engagement and confidence in the police, and will be published in the early part of 2006. The MPS are conducting their own internal assessment of the Safer Neighbourhoods programme for operational purposes, which includes a public attitudes survey.

Court Orders

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many breaches of anti-social behaviour orders have (a) resulted in and (b) not resulted in court action in (i) Romford and (ii) Havering since they were introduced.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office court proceedings database holds breach proceedings only where there has been a conviction. These data are available at Criminal Justice System area level only.

Criminal Assets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his target is for the recovery of criminal assets in 2005.

Hazel Blears: As set out in the Home Office Strategic Plan 2004–08 (Cm 6287) the target for 2004–05 was £60 million, with more in future years. In 2005–06 we aim to exceed last year's performance where £84.4 million of criminal proceeds was recovered.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of cases have been considered for more than two years before a decision has been reached under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2001.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority advises that in 2003–04 (the first year in which any case could satisfy this criterion) the percentage was 2.5 per cent. In 2004–05 it was 4.5 per cent.

Cross-border Co-operation

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what protocols the Government have in place to ensure that cross-border co-operation between police forces is effective; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: There are currently protocols for forces to collaborate to deal with cross border crime. The Closing the Gap report identified that some of these arrangements were not as effective as they could or should be. These issues are currently being progressed as part of the Review of the Structure of Police Forces.

Departmental Spending

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on items of art in 2004–05.

Charles Clarke: In 2004–05, as part of the interior art strategy for the new Home Office at 2 Marsham Street, £17,260 was spent on art. The exterior art strategy for 2 Marsham Street was paid for by the developer Annes Gate Property plc. Art provided to Ministers' offices are loaned by the Government Art Collection at no cost to my Department.

Firearms Certificates

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms certificate applications were processed by each police force in England and Wales in each of the last three years for which records are available.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		Firearm certificate applications in England and Wales by police force area, 2001 to 2003–04 -- Number
		
			 Police force area 2001 2002 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 1,692 1,689 1,430 633 
			 Bedfordshire 470 475 453 196 
			 Cambridgeshire 919 806 747 322 
			 Cheshire 919 852 763 349 
			 Cleveland 273 276 219 121 
			 Cumbria 986 1,055 896 332 
			 Derbyshire 768 1,003 839 467 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,845 2,823 2,452 954 
			 Dorset 967 912 774 483 
			 Durham 647 803 691 293 
			 Essex 1,160 1,373 1,183 553 
			 Gloucestershire 847 860 749 225 
			 Greater Manchester 640 542 458 315 
			 Hampshire 1,484 1,471 1,438 753 
			 Hertfordshire 591 606 537 307 
			 Humberside 960 945 872 349 
			 Kent 1,393 1,241 1,427 577 
			 Lancashire 935 859 787 381 
			 Leicestershire 579 578 504 246 
			 Lincolnshire 1,210 1,237 956 269 
			 London, City of 5 9 7 5 
			 Merseyside 348 265 260 38 
			 Metropolitan police 1,645 1,538 1,354 734 
			 Norfolk 1,216 1,144 1,026 454 
			 Northamptonshire 728 769 726 417 
			 Northumbria 1,117 1,158 1,036 387 
			 North Yorkshire 1,607 2,357 2,127 738 
			 Nottinghamshire 657 681 637 331 
			 South Yorkshire 531 520 461 283 
			 Staffordshire 899 944 854 340 
			 Suffolk 1,283 1,030 935 428 
			 Surrey 887 848 780 399 
			 Sussex 1,892 1,506 1,479 538 
			 Thames Valley 2,163 1,929 1,973 569 
			 Warwickshire 615 587 542 260 
			 West Mercia 1,259 1,079 1,199 893 
			 West Midlands 592 646 634 435 
			 West Yorkshire 871 923 811 432 
			 Wiltshire 906 1,049 978 282 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,142 1,191 1,117 351 
			 Gwent 233 379 463 120 
			 North Wales 795 733 634 255 
			 South Wales 518 608 553 257 
			  
			 England and Wales 42,194 42,299 38,761 17,071 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Data collected by calendar year until 2002, financial year thereafter.
	2.Includes granted and refused applications for new, renewal and variation certificates.

Knife Crime

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the rate of knife crime was in each police authority area in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally. Crimes involving the use of a knife cannot be separately identified in the recorded crime statistics.

Military Police

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what criteria are used in assessing whether military police should participate in policing civilian areas and events;
	(2)  how long he expects Cheshire police to be collaborating with military personnel in Operation Yellow Card;
	(3)  what guidelines are in place for establishing chain of command when military police and civil police forces work together;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of how the civil police force might be supplemented by the military police force; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: I am advised by Cheshire police that operation yellow card does not involve military personnel. Operational policing is the responsibility of the chief police officer in the area concerned. Military assistance can be sought in exceptional circumstances in accordance with arrangements that include the need to seek approval of the relevant Ministers in the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence. In such circumstances, military personnel provide support to and work under the control of the chief police officer. This remains the case even in circumstances where military personnel are deployed in support of the police.

Offensive Weapons

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been found to be carrying knives in public without a good reason or lawful authority in (a) England and Wales and (b) the Teignbridge constituency since the coming into force of the Knives Act 1997; and how many of these received a prison sentence.

Hazel Blears: The information available is shown in the following table.
	
		Defendants sentenced and given custody for carrying a weapon or blade, 1997–2004(7)
		
			   1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Teignbridge magistrates court(8)  
			 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or Sentenced 5 1 1 7 
			 reasonable excuse Immediate custody 2 0 1 0 
			 Having an article with a blade in a public place Sentenced 1 1 1 3 
			  custody Immediate 0 1 0 0 
			 Total of both offences Sentenced 6 2 2 10 
			  Immediate custody 2 1 1 0 
			   
			 South Devon magistrates court(8)  
			 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or Sentenced n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 reasonable excuse Immediate custody n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Having an article with a blade in a public place Sentenced n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Immediate custody n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total of both offences Sentenced n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Immediate custody n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 England and Wales  
			 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or Sentenced 4,130 4,375 4,135 4,108 
			 reasonable excuse Immediate custody 509 585 554 595 
			 Having an article with a blade in a public place Sentenced 3,341 3,788 3,548 3,518 
			  Immediate custody 372 550 534 499 
			 Total of both offences Sentenced 7,471 8,163 7,683 7,626 
			  Immediate custody 881 1,135 1,088 1,094 
		
	
	
		
			   2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Teignbridge magistrates court(8)  
			 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or Sentenced n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 reasonable excuse Immediate custody n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Having an article with a blade in a public place Sentenced n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  custody Immediate n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total of both offences Sentenced n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Immediate custody n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			   
			 South Devon magistrates court(8)  
			 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or Sentenced 23 18 29 20 
			 reasonable excuse Immediate custody 2 1 2 3 
			 Having an article with a blade in a public place Sentenced 8 17 31 14 
			  Immediate custody 1 1 0 0 
			 Total of both offences Sentenced 31 35 60 34 
			  Immediate custody 3 2 2 3 
			   
			 England and Wales  
			 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or Sentenced 4,873 5,441 5,394 5,758 
			 reasonable excuse Immediate custody 634 787 760 817 
			 Having an article with a blade in a public place Sentenced 4,303 5,269 5,311 5,802 
			  Immediate custody 589 766 755 803 
			 Total of both offences Sentenced 9,176 10,710 10,705 11,560 
			  Immediate custody 1,223 1,553 1,515 1,620 
		
	
	(7)The above offences are not covered within the Knifes Act 1997 which came into force, partly in September 1997 and fully in March 1999. The offences are covered under previous Acts. The offences of possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse is covered under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 S.1. The offence of having an article with a blade or point in a public place is covered by the Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139.
	(8)The Teignbridge Court was amalgamated into the South Devon magistrates court in 2000–01. The figures are shown for each court separately.
	Source:
	RDS NOMS 3/11/2005

Persistent Offenders

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken to deal with persistent offenders.

Hazel Blears: The Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) strategy was launched by the Prime Minister in March 2004 to target not only existing prolific offenders but also those young people who are on the cusp of a prolific offending lifestyle. The strategy has three strands: prevent and deter—to stop young people becoming prolific offenders; catch and convict—tackling those who are already prolific offenders; and rehabilitate and resettle—working to increase the number of offenders who stop offending by offering a range of supportive interventions.
	Over 10,000 existing prolific offenders have been identified by schemes across England and Wales. In addition, approximately 4,000 young people have been identified as suitable for support as part of the prevent and deter strand. A report of the early findings of the evaluation of the PPO strategy was published in October 2005. It provides encouraging but early indicative data on the impact on the offending rates of PPOs, as well as information about the characteristics of the targeted PPO population and how schemes are intervening with them.

Police

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in (a) the South Tyneside area command and (b) Northumbria in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The available information is provided in the following table.
	
		Number of police officers (full-time equivalent) (1997–2005)
		
			 As at 31 March South Tyneside(9) Northumbria 
		
		
			 1997 — 3,677 
			 1998 — 3,769 
			 1999 — 3,840 
			 2000 — 3,788 
			 2001 254.93 3,857 
			 2002 267.59 3,929 
			 2003 333.31 4,018 
			 2004 392.14 4,061 
			 2005 441.27 4,088 
		
	
	(9)Data are unavailable prior to 2001.

Police

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide additional resources over the next four years to the Thames Valley police for the enforcement of the recent ban on hunting with dogs.

Hazel Blears: The enforcement of the ban on hunting with dogs is a normal policing function and forces are expected to absorb the costs of this activity within their plans and budgeted resources. These are operational matters for the local chief constable.
	We have invested heavily in policing in England and Wales over the past five years. Expenditure supported by Government grant or spent centrally on policing increased by 39 per cent. or over £3 billion between 2000–01 and 2005–06. Thames Valley is receiving its fair share of the available resources.

Police

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are to expand the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time police officers working in (i) Romford, (ii) Havering, (iii) Essex and (iv)Greater London over the next 12 months.

Hazel Blears: This information is not available centrally. The number of police officers deployed in particular areas of Essex and London are operational decisions which are the responsibility of the chief constable and the commissioner.

Police

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were charged for speeding in each police force in each of the last 10 years.

Hazel Blears: Information on the number of police personnel charged by type of offence is not collected centrally.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many graduates in the police force's fast-tracking system met his Department's target of becoming a chief inspector in seven years in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: There is no target for fast tracking police officers with a university degree to the rank of chief inspector within seven years. The Police High Potential Development Scheme, which is currently placed 20 in the 2005–06 Times Top 100 Graduate Employers listing, provides development opportunities tailored to individual needs for those who successfully pass the selection process to combine real work experience, practical training and academic study in order to move through the ranks to senior leadership positions in the police service.

Police

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police cells are in use in Essex, broken down by location.

Hazel Blears: This is an operational matter for the chief constable of Essex police but I understand that the numbers of cells in use in Essex are as set out in thefollowing table.
	
		
			 Police cells in use in Essex Number 
		
		
			 Braintree 8 
			 Brentwood 7 
			 Chelmsford 11 
			 Clacton 12 
			 Colchester 17 
			 Grays 12 
			 Harlow 14 
			 Harwich 5 
			 Loughton 3 
			 Rayleigh 16 
			 Southend 23 
			 South Woodham Ferrers 4 
			 Stansted 3 
			 Tilbury 3 
			 Total 138

Police

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the projected funding per head of the population was for each police authority in England and Wales in 2004–05.

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to the answer Igave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 514W.

Police

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in Leeds, North West in each year since 1997, broken down by ethnicity; and what percentage of the total in each year was accounted for by each ethnic group.

Hazel Blears: This information is not collected centrally. Data are available for West Yorkshire police and is provided in the following table.
	
		Police officer strength for West Yorkshire (1997–2005) -- Ethnicity breakdown(10)Full-time equivalent(11)
		
			 As at 31 March White Mixed Black or black British Asian or Asian British Other ethnic group Not stated Total minority ethnic Total all Police officers 
		
		
			 1997 — — — — — — 130 5,209 
			 1998 — — — — — — 133 5,155 
			 1999 — — — — — — 131 4,982 
			 2000 — — — — — — 127 4,822 
			 2001 — — — — — — 139 4,815 
			 2002 — — — — — — 152 4,889 
			 2003 4,830 29 38 87 9 45 163 5,037 
			 2004 5,088 38 37 100 11 40 186 5,314 
			 2005 5,427 46 43 120 12 24 221 5,671 
		
	
	(10)Ethnicity breakdown is only available from 2003 onwards.
	(11)FTE includes those on career breaks and maternity/paternity leave.
	
		Police officer strength for West Yorkshire (1997–2005) -- Ethnicity Breakdown(12)Percentage
		
			 As at 31 March White Mixed Black or black British Asian or Asian British Other ethnic group Not stated Total minority ethnic Total number (FTE) of police officers 
		
		
			 1997 — — — — — — 2.5 5,209 
			 1998 — — — — — — 2.6 5,155 
			 1999 — — — — — — 2.6 4,982 
			 2000 — — — — — — 2.6 4,822 
			 2001 — — — — — — 2.9 4,815 
			 2002 — — — — — — 3.1 4,889 
			 2003 95.9 0.6 0.8 1.7 0.2 0.9 3.2 5,037 
			 2004 95.7 0.7 0.7 1.9 0.2 0.8 3.5 5,314 
			 2005 95.7 0.8 0.8 2.1 0.2 0.4 3.9 5,671 
		
	
	(12)Ethnicity breakdown is only available from 2003 onwards

Police

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many official complaints have been lodged against police officers in each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

Hazel Blears: The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is responsible for the management of the police complaints system. I will ensure that the chairman receives a copy of the question and replies to the hon. Member directly. Copies of the letter containing the IPCC's response will be placed in the Libraries.

Police

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department provides on the minimum number of officers necessary to staff a police station at night.

Hazel Blears: This is a matter for local determination according to operational need. The Home Office does not issue guidance on it.

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal investigators there were in the Bedfordshire police force in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The available information is for 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 and is given in the table.Information for previous years is not currently available.
	
		Police officers in CID function (full-time equivalent) in Bedfordshire (1997–2005)
		
			  CID(13) officers 
		
		
			 1997 n/a 
			 1998 n/a 
			 1999 n/a 
			 2000 n/a 
			 2001 n/a 
			 2002 n/a 
			 2003 85 
			 2004 124 
			 2005 131 
		
	
	(13)This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Police

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to reduce the loss of experienced criminal investigators from Bedfordshire to other forces, as identified by the Police Performance Assessment 2004–05; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: We understand that the numbers of detectives transferring from Bedfordshire has declined and is not considered a problem. Like all forces, Bedfordshire have a range of pay and other incentives to retain officers in particular posts.

Student Task Force

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the 1,206 colleges visited by his Department's student task force were judged to be (a) genuine colleges and (b) not genuine colleges.

Andy Burnham: Between April 2004 and December 2004, 1,218 educational institutions were visited and 314 (25 per cent.) were found not to be genuine. All applications from students to study at institutions found not to be genuine were refused.

Terrorist Attacks (London)

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 180W, on terrorist attacks in London, how long it took to reach each underground train affected by the incidents.

Hazel Blears: After consultation with the Metropolitan Police Service, the British Transport Police, the London Fire Brigade Service and the London Ambulance Service I can inform the hon. Member that the information he has requested is not readily available.
	Following normal practice, the London Ambulance Service did not record the times that their paramedics and technicians reached the trains, only the stations which were the locations given in the 999 calls. This also applies to the Metropolitan Police Service, the British Transport Police and the London Fire Brigade.
	It is considered that to collate the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost as it would require information from each of the individual responders from the emergency services.
	I can inform the hon. Member that the London Underground have provided information that in respect of the Aldgate and Edgware Road incidents, London Underground staff reached the trains within 3–5 minutes of the blasts occurring.
	In respect of the Kings Cross incident, London Underground staff reached the train within 3–7 minutes of the blasts occurring. Again, exact arrival times are not recorded.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Belfast Protocol

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action he will take in response to the publication of the Belfast Protocol by the British Toilet Association on 11 October; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: I met with the British Toilet Association on 11 October to discuss good practice in public toilet provision. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will work with the BTA to produce further guidance, including examples of best practice. This will be undertaken as part of our How To Deliver Cleaner, Safer, Greener Communities" good practice programme.

Departmental Estate

David Howarth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information he collects on (a) the number of buildings, (b) the number of staff working from each building and (c) the management of the buildings in (i)his Department and (ii) its executive agencies.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Information collected by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is as follows:
	(a) Number of buildings
	(i) The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has four headquarters buildings in London which are in the process of being rationalised. There is additional minor office space at Hempstead House, Kernel Hempstead, Ashdown House, Hastings and 1 High Street, Glossop.
	The Fire and Rescue Service Directorate also occupies premises at Marchington, Moreton-in-Marsh, Little Rissington and Garston.
	A team to oversee Thames Gateway is based in Gateway House, Exchange Tower and similarly a small team is based within the Planning Inspectorate Offices at Temple Quay House, Bristol.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister also owns Burlington House in London, Sheffield House in Stevenage, West Point in Manchester and a building at Little Rissington.
	(ii) In relation to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Executive Agencies, the Fire Services College occupies buildings at Moreton in Marsh and the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre is located in Westminster. The Planning Inspectorate occupies Temple Quay House, Bristol.
	(b) Number of staff working from each building
	(i) Figures are based on staff with an entry on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister personnel database, but exclude staff on temporary leave of absence from the office, eg maternity leave, staff working in the Regional Coordination Unit and staff working in the Executive agencies which are recorded as follows. Figures for staff are likely to differ from those published elsewhere as they have been produced on a different basis. All figures are shown as actual number of staff.
	Figures as at 30 October 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Ashdown House Victoria 329 
			 Eland House, Victoria 1,368 
			 Hempstead House 95 
			 Glossop 3 
			 Building 3 Garston 13 
			 Marchington 49 
			 Fire Experimental Unit, Moreton-in-Marsh 8 
			 Admiralty House, 26 Whitehall 153 
			 Allington Towers, Victoria 143 
			 Ashdown House, Hastings 40 
			 Exchange Tower, London 13 
			 Temple Quay House, Bristol 29 
		
	
	Figures are not available for Little Rissington, Burlington House, Sheffield House, Stevenage or West Point, Manchester as these buildings are not occupied by ODPM staff.
	(ii) Figures for staff in buildings occupied by the Executive agencies are only available as full-time equivalents and this will almost certainly be an underestimate of the number of individuals employed. Figures include agency staff and contractors and may differ from figures published elsewhere using different definitions.
	Figures as at 30 June 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			  Full-time equivalents 
		
		
			 Fire Service College 296.2 
			 Planning Inspectorate 821.14 
			 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 53.3 
		
	
	(c) Management of the buildings
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister centrally collects information relating to the Sustainable Development in Government targets for each and publicly reports on this. This can be viewed at http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/delivery/integrating/estate/estate.htm. No other information is retained centrally.
	This answer does not include buildings occupied by Government offices, which carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

Departmental Funding

Michael Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding was allocated by his Department to Hemel Hempstead constituency for (a) capital projects and (b) revenue funding in the last eight years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) does not hold separate expenditure information on the Hemel Hempstead constituency.
	The following table sets out payments made to Dacorum borough council since the ODPM was established following the Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. For earlier years (from 1999–2000), the table shows the amount paid by ODPM's predecessor Departments from programmes which are now administered by the Office.
	
		All figures (£ million)
		
			 Funding to Dacorum borough (a) Capital (b) Revenue 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1.354 7.504 
			 2000–01 2.958 7.868 
			 2001–02 6.190 8.488 
			 2002–03 5.237 8.608 
			 2003–04 4.315 8.800 
			 2004–05 3.873 8.159 
			 Total 23.927 49.247

Departmental Spending

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding was allocated by his Department to Milton Keynes for (a) capital projects and (b) revenue funding in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was established following the Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. The following table sets out payments made to Milton Keynes since 2002–03. For earlier years, the table shows the amount paid by ODPM's predecessor Departments from programmes which are now administered by ODPM.
	
		Funding -- £ million
		
			  Capital Revenue 
		
		
			 2000–01 0.012 131.448 
			 2001–02 14.050 132.734 
			 2002–03 32.200 138.753 
			 2003–04 26.455 162.572 
			 2004–05 53.473 173.529 
			 Total 126.190 739.036

Departmental Working Groups

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 448W, on departmental working groups, which (a) staff member and (b) Minister within his Department approves the creation of new departmental working groups.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 October 2005, Official Report, columns 608–09W. A variety of cross-divisional groupings exist within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. There is no formal definition of these as departmental working groups and no centrally held record of the creation of them. There is no designated staff member with the role of centrally approving the creation of new departmental working groups.

Fire Precautions Regulations

John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what requests for exemptions to the Fire Precautions (Sub-Surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989 have been made under regulation 12 of the regulations since 1989.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not keep such records centrally, nor do we require fire and rescue authorities to supply any to us.

Local Government Finance

Greg Pope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage change in central government funding to Hyndburn borough council has been in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: The percentage change in central government funding to Hyndburn council in each of the last five years for which data are available is shown in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Change in funding on previous year (%) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 2.9 
			 2000–01 4.7 
			 2001–02 8.2 
			 2002–03 12.7 
			 2003–04 13.7 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Central government funding is defined here as the sum of Specific grants inside Aggregate External Finance (AEF) and Formula grant (Revenue Support Grant, Redistributed business rates and Police Grant). Specific grants inside AEF are those revenue grants paid for councils' core services (such as waste collection), excluding funding for local authorities' housing management.
	2.Comparisons across years may not be valid due to changing local authority responsibilities.
	3.The information provided excludes capital funding and funding for local authorities' housing management responsibilities.
	4.The information excludes those grant programmes, such as European funding, where authorities are simply one of the recipients of funding paid towards an area.
	Source:
	ODPM Revenue Outturn (RO) returns—RS data

Lyons Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people in his Department were relocated in 2004–05 as a result of the Lyons review of public sector relocation, broken down by locations to which they have been relocated; how many are expected to be relocated in 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 1 November 2005
	103 posts were relocated from September 2003 to April 2005, of which 91 were to locations outside of London and the south-east, excluding Hastings. Relocation of up to 138 posts is taking place during 2005–06.
	
		
			 Region Number of posts relocated 
		
		
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 14 
			 North-west 14 
			 North-east 5 
			 South-west 8 
			 West Midlands 6 
			 East Midlands 17 
			 East 17 
			 South-east—Hastings 10 
			 Sub-total 91 
			   
			 South-east excluding Hastings 5 
			 London 7 
			 Total 103

Pathfinder Areas

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 814W, on pathfinder areas, if he will break down the estimated number of homes to be demolished by pathfinder area.

Yvette Cooper: Pathfinders have drawn up their own plans on the level and tenure of demolition required. Not all of the pathfinders have included information on tenure in their submissions to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. For those who have, the information is recorded in the following table for 2005–06.
	
		Estimated demolitions 2005–06
		
			 Pathfinder/tenure Number 
		
		
			 Birmingham Sandwell  
			 Private 77 
			 Social 294 
			   
			 East Lancashire  
			 Private 526 
			 Social 41 
			   
			 Hull and East Riding  
			 Private 6 
			 Social 38 
			   
			 Merseyside  
			 Private 706 
			 Social 1,040 
			   
			 Manchester Salford  
			 Private n/a 
			 Social n/a 
			   
			 Newcastle Gateshead  
			 Private n/a 
			 Social n/a 
			   
			 North Staffordshire  
			 Private 52 
			 Social 0 
			   
			 Oldham Rochdale  
			 Private 84 
			 Social 63 
			   
			 South Yorkshire  
			 Private 156 
			 Social 723 
			   
			 Total 3,806 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.

Planning

Steve Webb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances a local councillor living in the ward that he represents may make representations to his local authority about a planning application relating to that ward; and by what means such a councillor may represent his community's interests where he himself is directly affected also by the application.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 7 November 2005
	Irefer the hon. Member to the Adjournment debate: Roll of Local Councillors in the Planning System thattook place on 8 November 2005, Official Report, columns 65–72WH.

Standards Board for England

Nick Gibb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to abolish the Standards Board for England; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to abolish the Standards Board for England.

Terrorism

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Multi Agency Initial Assessment team pilot following its response to the bombing on 7 July; and what plans he has to allocate funding for its (a) continuation and (b) development.

Hazel Blears: Ministers are currently considering the results of the Multi Agency Initial Assessment team trial and I will write to you shortly.

HEALTH

Avian Influenza

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of (a) the impact of an influenza pandemic on bed occupancy rates and (b) the adequacy of the current supply of intensive care beds in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: We recognise that a major influenza pandemic, or indeed any major biological or infectious illness whether caused by nature or terrorist activity, would place a serious burden on critical care facilities.
	All trusts have escalation plans for increasing short-term capacity to meet incidents, whether natural or terrorist, and we are constantly reviewing these plans. We are working closely with the Intensive Care Society and other professional organisations on ensuring that these plans are robust and appropriate for possible contingencies including an influenza pandemic.

Bed Numbers

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the change in bed numbers planned in West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust Investing in Your Health Plan on the standard of healthcare for the people of Hemel Hempstead; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: No assessment has been made of any likely effects of the change in bed numbers planned in West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust's Investing in Your Health" plan. The Department's capacity planning focuses on activity rather than bed numbers. It is for the national health service locally to ensure there is suitable provision of beds in order to deliver this.

Cancer

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the likely effects of the decision to end the automatic offer of testing for bowel cancer at the age of 69 years when the screening programme is introduced from April 2006;
	(2)  if she will fund a pilot for screening for bowel cancer with no upper age limit.

Rosie Winterton: We are determined that the new screening programme should not have a detrimental effect on services for patients with bowel cancer symptoms. The decision to begin screening with men and women aged 60 to 69 was based on evidence from research studies and the United Kingdom colorectal (bowel) cancer screening pilot. The risk of bowel cancer increases with age, with over 80 per cent. of bowel cancers arising in people who are 60 or over. When we have rolled out the programme to the whole country, we will make an assessment on whether to expand it to other age groups.
	We will encourage men and women aged 70 and over to self refer by seeing their general practitioner or contacting their local screening unit.

Cancer

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has undertaken into a possible link between breast cancer survival rates and the availability of (a) monitoring and (b) on-going care for cancer patients.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not commissioned any research into the link between breast cancer survival rates, monitoring and/or on-going care for breast cancer patients.

Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made to ensure those for whom Herceptin may be suitable are offered the HER2 test; and what recent estimate she has made of the percentage of potentially eligible women who are being offered the HER2 test.

Rosie Winterton: Each of the 34 cancer networks has been asked to submit action plans to the Department by 4 November 2005 on how they will implement human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) testing.
	Information on the percentage of potentially eligible woman being offered the HER2 test is not collected centrally.

Cancer

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of women diagnosed with breast cancer were tested for the presence of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 in 2004–05.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not collected centrally on the proportion of women diagnosed with breast cancer who are tested for the presence of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2).
	Plans are now being put in place to ensure that all women diagnosed with breast cancer are tested for the presence of HER2.

Cataract Operations

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cataract operations were carried out by the NHS in England in 2003–04; and how many have been performed on NHS patients in mobile independent sector treatment centres by Netcare.

Rosie Winterton: 301,664 cataract operations were carried out by national health service hospitals in England in 2003–04. Netcare UK has been operational since February 2004 and its mobile cataract units have carried out over 17,000 procedures to date.

Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthhow many applications to extend dental school training places were submitted to her Department by 28 September; how many were applications for (a) establishing new dental schools and (b) expanding existing dental schools; which organisations submitted applications; and when she expects the joint implementation group to reach conclusions on the business cases submitted.

Rosie Winterton: Six applications have been received from universities that do not currently have dental schools and eight from universities wishing to expand their dental schools. We do not consider it appropriate to release the name of these universities while competition is still under way. The joint implementation group will put its recommendations to the board of the Higher Education Funding Council for England to consider at its meeting on 26 January.

Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doses of influenza vaccine are available in (a) Herefordshire, (b) Worcestershire and (c) England.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not centrally purchase flu vaccine. General practitioners purchase their own supplies of vaccine from one of the six United Kingdom suppliers, based on the number of eligible patients on their practice register.
	13.4 million doses of flu vaccine are available to order this year.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to vaccinate poultry handlers against (a) seasonal influenza and (b) influenza of subtype A/H5N1.

Caroline Flint: There are no plans to vaccinate poultry workers against seasonal influenza in the absence of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). When an outbreak of HPAI is confirmed, or in the case of heightened risk of an outbreak in poultry, poultry workers on the infected farm, together with vets, contractors and other people engaged in disease control activities, will be offered seasonal influenza vaccine, plus anti-viral therapy, within 24 to 48 hours of disease confirmation.
	There is currently no vaccine against influenza of subtype A/H5N1. Manufacturers have been asked to tender for a contract to supply a limited amount of vaccine against the H5N1 strain of avian influenza currently circulating in South East Asia. This vaccine could offer some protection against an H5N1 flu strain.
	If an outbreak occurs or is deemed likely, we will make the vaccine available for those at high risk of infection through occupational exposure to diseased birds.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthover what time period the contracts agreed by her Department with seasonal influenza vaccine manufacturers have effect; with which influenza vaccine manufacturer such contracts have been agreed; and when each was agreed.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not place contracts with manufacturers but negotiates with manufacturers for United Kingdom influenza vaccine supply. General practitioner practices make their own contractual arrangements with manufacturers for the supply of influenza vaccine.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how soon it is necessary for tamiflu to be administered once someone has been infected with influenza for the treatment to be effective.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 7 November 2005
	Tamiflu is licensed for the treatment of influenza A and B when influenza is circulating and should be administered within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Full details of antiviral agents for influenza can be found in annex H of the UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan", which is available in the Library.

NHS Ambulance Service Trusts (London)

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on (a) administration and (b) management costs by each NHS ambulance service trust in London, expressed (i) as a percentage of their total budget and (ii) as the cost per head of population in areas they cover in the latest year for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested for 2004–05, the latest available year, is shown in the table.
	
		London Ambulance National Health Service Trust
		
			  
		
		
			 Management costs per weighted head of the population (£000) 1.41 
			 Management costs as a percentage of turnover 3.9 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Administration costs are not identified separately so all information given relates to management costs only.
	2.London has one ambulance trust. The population figures for this have been compiled by the primary care trust weighted population figures within the London area.
	3.'Total budget' has been interpreted as total income (turnover).
	Source:
	Audited summarisation schedules of the named trust.

NICE

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional resources she will be making available to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in respect of the new single technology appraisal process.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 8 November 2005
	Funding available to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is sufficient for it to accommodate the new single technology appraisal process without detriment to its existing work programme. NICE'S funding for 2005–06 is £30.2 million 1 .
	1 This figure includes capital charges.

Primary Care Trusts (London)

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthhow much was spent on (a) administration and (b) management costs by each primary care trust in London, expressed (i) as a percentage of their total budget and (ii) as the cost per head of population in areas they cover in the last year for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested for 2004–05, the latest available year, is shown in the table.
	
		Primary care trusts (PCTs) in the London area
		
			  Management costs (£000) Management costs per weighted head of population (£) Management costs as a percentage of net operating costs 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,744 18.97 1.9 
			 Barnet 7,957 26.07 2.0 
			 Bexley Care Trust 2,926 14.99 1.2 
			 Brent Teaching 11,273 42.80 3.0 
			 Bromley 4,931 18.07 1.4 
			 Camden 7,399 27.99 2.0 
			 City and Hackney Teaching 5,708 18.48 1.7 
			 Croydon 5,703 17.63 1.5 
			 Ealing 5,985 17.90 1.5 
			 Enfield 4,710 17.51 1.5 
			 Greenwich Teaching 3,374 13.65 1.1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3,997 23.14 1.7 
			 Haringey Teaching 5,296 19.43 1.7 
			 Harrow 3,932 21.25 1.7 
			 Havering 5,205 22.33 1.9 
			 Hillingdon 2,590 10.99 0.9 
			 Hounslow 5,168 23.92 1.7 
			 Islington 5,176 20.97 1.7 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 6,979 35.96 2.4 
			 Kingston 3,850 26.96 2.1 
			 Lambeth 6,752 20.19 1.4 
			 Lewisham 5,854 20.35 1.7 
			 Newham 5,978 17.86 1.7 
			 Redbridge 4,406 19.69 1.7 
			 Richmond and Twickenham 3,459 23.31 1.6 
			 Southwark 6,169 20.12 1.7 
			 Sutton and Merton 9,828 29.43 2.3 
			 Tower Hamlets 4,556 15.64 1.4 
			 Waltham Forest 4,329 17.31 1.5 
			 Wandsworth 7,166 26.35 2.0 
			 Westminster 6,598 30.27 1.9 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Administration costs are not identified separately so all information given relates to management costs only.
	2.'Total budget' has been interpreted as net operating costs for PCTs.
	Source:
	Audited summarisation schedules and weighted population figures of the named PCTs.

Smoking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her most recent estimate is of the proportion of pubs which will fall into the category of preparing and serving food for the purposes of the ban on smoking in enclosed public places; and what estimate she has made of the percentage of pubs which will discontinue serving food as a result of the proposals contained within the Health Bill.

Caroline Flint: In the White Paper, Choosing Health", we estimated that some 10 per cent. to 30 per cent. of pubs would fall into the category of preparing and serving food. Two separate nationwide estimates have been produced, one by Action on Smoking and Health of 29 per cent. and one by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) of 19 per cent. The percentage of pubs that might discontinue serving food will depend on the final content of the regulations that the Bill provides for. Until the regulations are finalised it will not be possible to estimate meaningfully how many pubs might choose to allow smoking rather than serve food.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Vehicles

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many abandoned vehicles were crushed in England in the past 12 months for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: The most recent data available are for the year 2003–04 when 221,400 abandoned vehicles were removed and destroyed by local authorities.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts about possible EU-wide co-ordinated action in the event of an outbreak of Avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: I have had discussions with ministerial counterparts on a regular basis since the H5N1 strain of the virus emerged in South East Asia four years ago.

Avian Influenza

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action her Department has taken to prevent the spread of avian influenza to the United Kingdom.

Ben Bradshaw: On 28 October, the EU introduced a ban on imports into the community of all captive birds (wild birds), along with new restrictions on the importation of pet birds. UK import rules have been amended to reflect this.
	In line with EU-wide measures, we have banned imports of all live birds and products which could potentially transmit the disease to other birds from countries with the H5N1 strains of avian influenza.
	The risk assessment that we have carried out on the spread of the avian influenza virus indicates that there is a high risk that the geographical spread will continue, given the recent detections of the virus in various geographical areas since May 2005.
	The UK recognises that the situation continues to develop worldwide. We are monitoring it closely and have stepped up work on surveillance, biosecurity and emergency preparedness.

Avian Influenza

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on EU guidance on the vaccination of poultry.

Ben Bradshaw: Prophylactic or preventative vaccination of poultry against avian influenza is not permitted except under special circumstances. Emergency vaccination in an outbreak is permitted in principle by Council Directive 92/40/EEC, providing it is used only to supplement other control measures subject to a Decision by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) Any vaccine used must be authorised by the competent authority.

Avian Influenza

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of whether pigeons are vulnerable to avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The susceptibility of pigeons appears to vary with the strain of avian influenza virus, but in general they appear to be less susceptible than poultry and some wild birds. Wild pigeons do not appear to play any significant role in the spread of disease.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many qualified personnel her Department has at its disposal to manage an outbreak of Avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: The State Veterinary Service has about 1,500 staff including veterinary surgeons, animal health officers and administrative personnel. Regular training and exercising helps to equip these staff to deal with an outbreak of exotic disease including Avian influenza. These front line staff are supported by the staff in policy divisions and corporate services in Defra.
	In the event of an outbreak these staff would be augmented as necessary by contingency LVIs, vets from other signatory country members of the International Animal Health Emergency Reserve and staff from elsewhere in Defra, other Government Departments and agencies.

Brazilian Meat

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are taken by (a) her Department and (b) the European Commission to ensure that there is no cross-border transit of cattle or carcases between those provinces of Brazil from which imports are banned and those from which imports are still permitted.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 8 November 2005
	The European Commission is aware of problems in Brazil with regard to control mechanisms in place in Brazil with regard to transit of animals. It is for this reason that the area from which imports have been banned cover a much wider area than would normally be necessary.
	The restrictions will not be lifted until the Commission has received positive evidence of improved controls. The European Commission has undertaken to keep member states informed of developments.

Brazilian Meat

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements are in place to test imports of beef from Brazil for the foot and mouth virus.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 8 November 2005
	Testing imported meat would be both impractical and prohibitively expensive. Currently available tests have only been validated for detecting viruses in clinical samples.
	Current EU legislation contains measures to ensure that meat imported into the EU does not originate from animals infected with serious disease.
	All meat imported into the UK from third countries must enter at designated UK border inspection posts (BIPs) where it is subject to veterinary inspections. All consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks and at least 20 per cent. of consignments undergo physical checks. These ensure import conditions are met and that the products remain in a satisfactory condition during transport.

Caseous Lymphadenitis

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) sheep and (b) goats have been infected with caseous lymphadenitis in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Caseous lymphadenitis is not a notifiable disease and so there are no records of total numbers of cases occurring nationally. The Veterinary Laboratories Agency retains records of the numbers of diagnoses made in samples which have been submitted to its laboratories in England and Wales in its Veterinary Investigation Diagnosis Analysis (VIDA) database. The figures for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			  Sheep Goats 
		
		
			 2000 38 3 
			 2001 28 4 
			 2002 22 16 
			 2003 23 6 
			 2004 35 2

Electric Shock Collars

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the Kennel Club on electric shock collars in the context of the Animal Welfare Bill.

Ben Bradshaw: We have received correspondence from, and met with representatives of the Kennel Club, to discuss the issue of electric shock collars in the context of the Animal Welfare Bill.

Energy Efficiency

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures have been introduced since 1997 to help homeowners meet the cost of improved energy efficiency measures.

Elliot Morley: The Government has introduced a range of measures to help homeowners meet the cost of improved energy efficiency measures. Key examples include: the Energy Efficiency Commitment (and its predecessor)—an obligation on energy suppliers to increase household energy efficiency; the Warm Front programme, providing grants to those in fuel poverty for a variety of energy efficiency and heating measures; reduced VAT levels for certain commercially installed energy efficient materials, notably insulation; and the Landlords' Energy Saving Allowance, providing landlords a clear incentive to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.

Energy Efficiency

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many publicly funded household energy efficiency grant schemes are available to householders in north west Leicestershire.

Elliot Morley: It is not possible to specifically quantify the number of grants available in North West Leicestershire. However, the Government funds the Energy Saving Trust which, through its own website (www.est.org.uk) and its network of local Energy Efficiency Advice Centres, provides householders with details of all grants and offers for energy efficiency measures in a particular area, including those which are publicly funded, such as Leicester city council's Energy Sense Grant.
	The Government's main tool for tackling fuel poverty in private sector households in England is the Warm Front Scheme, which provides a range of energy efficiency measures to householders in receipt of certain qualifying benefits. The measures can include heating and insulation works alongside energy efficiency advice.

EU Decision 2005/745/EC

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in what circumstances poultry industry events will be authorised based on a veterinary risk assessment specific to that event, as permitted under Decision 2005/745/EC.

Ben Bradshaw: My Department, on veterinary advice, has carried out a preliminary risk assessment which takes a precautionary approach to the risk of transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza attached to gatherings of birds. This has shown that gathering of specified types of birds may be permitted under certain conditions.
	At present low risk gatherings can be licensed. This means the gathering can only consist of budgerigars, canaries, zebra finches, Bengalese finches and birds classed by fanciers as British" birds (i.e. captive bred birds of species native to the British Isles, not including pigeons, poultry and waterfowl). The show organiser must agree to meet a number of conditions such as record keeping and biosecurity measures before a licence is granted. Sales from licensed gatherings are not permitted.
	Gatherings of other birds including poultry, waterfowl, pigeons and exotic species are considered to be higher risk. Conditions under which shows of higher risk birds might be permitted to take place are still under consideration. Such gatherings will not be licensed until we are confident that they can take place without undue risk.

Fish Stocks

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to preserve fish stocks in the North sea.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK Fisheries Departments' response—published in July 2005—to the Net Benefits" report set out a clear aim for fisheries management in the UK. That aim is to achieve
	a fishing sector that is sustainable and profitable and supports local communities, managed effectively as an integral part of coherent policies for the marine environment".
	The Department published Charting a new course" in October which sets out how we will work with our stakeholders in England to achieve this aim.

Flood Defences

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has made to reinforce flood defences.

Elliot Morley: The Government are committed to the effective management of flood and coastal erosion risk and has increased funding from £310 million a year in 1996–97 to £570 million. The operating authorities—the Environment Agency, local authorities and, in low-lying areas, internal drainage boards—invest a large part of this in physical flood defences as well as in other measures to manage flood risk, including flood warning systems, advice to planning authorities on proposals for development, emergency planning, public awareness campaigns etc.
	The Department relies on operating authorities to put forward projects and programmes of work but seeks to ensure a long term strategic perspective to this through encouragement of Shoreline Management Plans and Catchment Flood Management Plans. These are designed to develop appropriate long-term flood and coastal erosion risk management policies.
	Defra is leading on development of a new cross-Government Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management in close consultation with stakeholders. This will take a holistic approach to management of risk from all forms of flooding (river, coastal, groundwater, surface run-off and sewer) and coastal erosion and ensure the programme helps deliver sustainable development.

Flood Defences

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Department and its related agencies spent on flood defences in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: Defra funds most of the Environment Agency's flood related work and grant aids individual projects undertaken by local authorities and, in low-lying areas, internal drainage boards. The programme to manage risk is driven by these operating authorities; Defra does not build defences, nor direct the authorities on what specific projects to undertake. The following table shows Defra grant and, additionally for local authorities, Supported Capital Expenditure (Revenue) (SCE(R)):
	
		£ million
		
			 Environment Agency(14) LAs and IDBs(15) 
		
		
			 1997–98 287.9 4.9 
			 1998–99 285.6 3.3 
			 1999–2000 294.3 3.5 
			 2000–01 302.1 4.3 
			 2001–02 333.9 6.5 
			 2002–03 341.5 13.7 
			 2003–04 385.7 8.6 
			 2004–05 425.5 9.2 
		
	
	(14)Expenditure on defences against flooding from rivers and the sea; excludes flood warning.
	(15)Defra capital grant and SCE(R) to local authorities and internal drainage boards.
	A significant sum is also provided in Defra grant and SCE(R)) to local authorities for projects to manage risk from coastal erosion; these also often provide benefits in terms of risk of flooding from the sea but have not been included in the above figures. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides further support to local authorities through its Revenue Support Grant mechanism.

Flood Defences

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Department and its related agencies plans to spend on flood defences in each of the next 10 years.

Elliot Morley: The Government will spend some £570 million on management of flood and coastal erosion risk in England in each of the three years up to and including 2007–08. This includes funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to support local authority expenditure. A large part of this funding will be for management of flood risk, from both rivers and the sea. The actual amount will depend on the mix of flood and coastal erosion schemes put forward by the operating authorities—the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards. However, projects to manage coastal erosion often also provide significant benefit in terms of reducing risk of flooding from the sea.
	Expenditure for the period beyond 2007–08 will be considered in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

Flood Defences

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the costs of cleaning up flood damage in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: The costs of cleaning up are borne in the main by local authorities and individual property owners and their insurers. No estimates of the total costs incurred by all parties involved are available.
	However, under the Bellwin schemes arrangements, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister makes financial assistance available to local authorities if there has been an emergency or disaster involving destruction of or danger to life or property on a scale which is clearly exceptional in relation to normal experience in the locality. The purpose of a Bellwin scheme is to provide emergency relief, not to put right all the ill effects of an incident. Before qualifying for grant a LA must have spent 0.2 per cent. of its budget on eligible expenditure. Above that threshold grant is normally paid at 85 per cent.
	Records of expenditure on Bellwin Schemes do not differentiate as to the cause of the emergency. The following statistics of expenditure since 1997–98 therefore include payments relating to all emergencies. However, the majority of the expenditure related to flooding emergencies:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1997–98 0.3 
			 1998–99 0.44 
			 1999–2000 0.35 
			 2000–01 4.1 
			 2001–02 25 
			 2002–03 0.35 
			 2003–04 0.1 
			 2004–05 2.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	Up until 2000–01 and again in 2002–03 only a small number of authorities received grant in any one year. In 2000–01, 17 authorities received grant, 16 of which were in connection with the autumn 2000 floods. In 2001–02 nearly 75 authorities received payments which were also in connection with the autumn 2000 floods, and nearly 50 in connection with foot and mouth disease. In 2001–02, around £6 million of the total expenditure was in relation to foot and mouth disease.

Fruit Growing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much fruit was grown in England in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by type; and how much was destined for (a) export, broken down by country, and (b) the domestic market in each case.

Ben Bradshaw: Production data from 2004 for fruit produced in England and Wales and the UK are summarised in table 1; production data are not available for England only. Information on exports taken from Customs relate only to exports from the UK rather than from England only so are shown against UK production figures. This shows the split of production between exports and produce available for the domestic market.
	More detailed information on the destination countries for fruit exports as recorded in the overseas trade statistics are shown in table 2.
	
		Table 1: Production and export data for fruit for 2004 -- Thousand tonnes
		
			 2004 data England and Wales UK 
		
		
			 Apples   
			 Home Production Marketed 137.6 172.4 
			 Exports — 17.7 
			 Available for domestic market — 154.7 
			
			 Pears   
			 Home Production Marketed 22.7 22.7 
			 Exports — 2.4 
			 Available for domestic market — 20.3 
			
			 Plums   
			 Home Production Marketed 13.6 13.6 
			 Exports — 1.0 
			 Available for domestic market — 12.6 
			
			 Cherries   
			 Home Production Marketed 1.0 1.0 
			 Exports — 0.2 
			 Available for domestic market — 0.8 
			
			 Strawberries   
			 Home Production Marketed 41.2 50.2 
			 Exports — 0.2 
			 Available for domestic market — 50.0 
			
			 Raspberries   
			 Home Production Marketed 6.6 9.1 
			 Exports — 0.0 
			 Available for domestic market — 9.1 
			 Blackcurrants   
			 Home Production Marketed 17.3 19.3 
			 Exports — 0.0 
			 Available for domestic market — 19.3 
			
			 Other soft fruit   
			 Home Production Marketed 4.3 5.1 
			 Exports — 0.2 
			 Available for domestic market — 4.9 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Includes re-exports
	2.Calculated as home production marketed less exports
	
		Table 2: UK exports of fruit for 2004
		
			 Description Tonnes 
		
		
			 Apples  
			 Irish Republic 10,794 
			 Netherlands 3,989 
			 Germany 1,462 
			 Belgium 1,117 
			 France 316 
			 Other 45 
			 Apples total 17,724 
			   
			 Plums  
			 Irish Republic 615 
			 Netherlands 360 
			 Other 8 
			 Plums total 983 
			   
			 Cherries  
			 Irish Republic 116 
			 Netherlands 33 
			 Germany 31 
			 Other 33 
			 Cherries total 213 
			   
			 Pears  
			 Irish Republic 1,777 
			 Netherlands 305 
			 Belgium 198 
			 Other 106 
			 Pears total 2,387 
			   
			 Other soft fruits  
			 Barbados 70 
			 Spain 39 
			 Cayman Islands 14 
			 Dubai 14 
			 Other 48 
			 Other soft fruits total 157 
			   
			 Raspberries  
			 Hungary 21 
			 Irish Republic 17 
			 Other 0 
			 Raspberries total 38 
			   
			 Strawberries  
			 Irish Republic 159 
			 Hungary 13 
			 Other 6 
			 Strawberries total 177 
			   
			 Grand total 21,678

G8 Summit (Gleneagles)

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) post on the departmental website papers submitted by (i) the United Kingdom, (ii)other national delegations and (iii) international organisations to the meeting convened by the United Kingdom presidency of the G8 to follow up the proposals from Gleneagles on climate change, held in London on 1 and 2 November.

Elliot Morley: There were no official papers submitted by the UK Government on the follow up to the 1 November Meeting of the Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development. The meeting was an informal process aimed at sharing ideas on how to implement the plan of action and tackle the problems of climate change, clean energy and sustainable development between countries. A set of draft conclusions on how the UK Government viewed the dialogue meeting can be found on the No. 10 website.

G8 Summit (Gleneagles)

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to implement the G8 Gleneagles plan of action; what steps have been taken in conjunction with (a) the World Bank, (b) the International Energy Agency and (c) other international bodies; and what jobs she expects to be created in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Blaenau Gwent as a result of the plan.

Elliot Morley: The UK has started work on a survey of activities underway to implement the plan of action. Highlights so far include:
	Consolidated support for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership. Defra will be providing a further £2.5 million pounds per year in 2006–07 and 2007–08. In addition, the FCO will be providing funding of £1 million in 2006–07 and 2007–08 giving a total of £6 million from the UK over the coming two years.
	Increased co-operation on specific CCS projects with China and India, including EU-China, Canadian and US initiatives.
	Dialogues with Latin America and China on low carbon investment strategies under way.
	Active participation by G8 in Italian-led Global Bioenergy Partnership, due to be formally launched in 2006.
	High level of support from industry and Government for the UK's Environmentally Friendly Vehicles conference in November 2005.
	Since July, the IEA Governing Board approved the G8 work programme and we have managed to secure funding commitments of €3 million, 60 per cent. of the total funding required. The IEA work programme includes new work on efficiency in buildings, appliances and transport including outreach to the +5, as well as new links to the World Bank and Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum on best practice in coal-fired power stations and accelerating the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS).
	The World Bank is working to create a framework for investment in cleaner energy technologies and in measures necessary for adaptation, involving the private sector and the regional development banks. Consultations on this framework are well underway with initial findings due to be presented to the World Bank Spring meetings next year.
	As a result of this increased investment, we can expect jobs to grow in the environmental technology industry in areas such as renewables and energy efficiency. Defra has not conducted any quantitative research on the creation of new jobs, nor any analysis of regional distribution.

Intensive Chicken Farms

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of intensive chicken rearing farms on those living nearby; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Local authorities, as part of their local air quality management duties under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 are required to assess the effects of any local emission source against health-based national objectives for seven airborne pollutants. Local authority assessments are ongoing but, to date, no local authorities have identified the need to declare an air quality management area in the vicinity of intensive chicken rearing farms.
	It is the duty of the local authority under section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to take reasonable steps to investigate complaints of any dust, steam, smell or other effluvia arising on industrial, trade or business premises and being prejudicial to health or a nuisance". If the investigating environmental health practitioner is satisfied that a statutory nuisance is present, the local authority must serve an abatement notice requiring that the activity causing the nuisance cease or is restricted. Those against whom the abatement notice has been served will have 21 days in which to appeal against the notice in the local magistrates court. If no appeal is made, or if the appeal is unsuccessful, the abatement notice will remain in force. The fine for non-compliance to an abatement notice is a maximum of £20,000 for industrial, trade or business premises upon summary conviction.
	Under section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 complainants can take private action through the local magistrates court in order to deal with odour nuisance. If such a case were successful, the court would order an abatement of the nuisance and may award costs to the complainant, although this is not a requirement.
	Intensive livestock units will be subject to environmental regulation for the first time under the integrated pollution prevention and control ('IPPC') regime. IPPC will ensure that the environmental and health impacts of poultry farms housing more than 40,000 birds is assessed and minimised. The IPPC regime will also help to ensure a common basis for the prevention and control of pollution from intensive livestock units across Europe. The application window for intensive livestock units is from 1 November 2006 to January 2007.

Liver Fluke

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the incidence of liver fluke in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Liver fluke is not a notifiable disease and so there are no records of total numbers of cases occurring nationally. The Veterinary Laboratories Agency retain records of the number of diagnoses made in samples which have been submitted to its laboratories in England and Wales in its Farmfile/Veterinary Investigation Diagnosis Analysis (VIDA) database.
	The total number of liver fluke diagnoses recorded are:
	
		
			  Cattle Sheep 
		
		
			 2000 393 131 
			 2001 366 91 
			 2002 373 164 
			 2003 468 167 
			 2004 348 91

Micro-generation Power Supplies

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage the use of crops for energy in micro-generation power supplies; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 November 2005
	The Government support the use of energy crops in micro-generation power plants. We are working closely with industry and others to develop markets and promote uptake. DTI and the big lottery fund's bio-energy capital grants scheme has allocated £66 million of funding to develop end-use markets for biomass, including small-scale combined heat and power plants. The Community Renewables Initiative's local support teams are working to develop local projects in their areas. Support is also available to develop heat projects.
	The Biomass Task Force, led by Sir Ben Gill, was set up to identify the barriers to developing biomass energy, including energy crops, and to recommend ways to overcome the problems. Their report was published in October and a number of their recommendations are relevant to micro-generation. The Government have committed themselves to publishing a full response to the report within the next six months.

Single Payment Plan

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to ensure that farmers will receive their entitlements in time to complete their Single Payment Plan applications for 2 April and 15 May transfer deadlines.

Jim Knight: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is responsible for implementing the Single Payment Scheme and making payments in England. RPA intends to issue definitive entitlement statements as soon as practical, following the validation of the 120,000 claims made to the 2005 scheme. RPA remains on target to issue entitlement statements in advance of the notification deadlines established for the 2006 scheme.

Stewardship Scheme

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will authorise the manual processing of all higher level stewardship applications which have been submitted within existing departmental guidelines.

Jim Knight: A delay with the new IT system in support of Environmental Stewardship has meant that a 1 November start date for the initial higher level stewardship applicants has not been possible.
	In the interim, all higher level stewardship applications are being processed on a manual basis as far as possible, however regulatory requirements mean that agreements must be properly cross-checked and validated with other agreement data and Single Payment Scheme declarations. As there are numerous options available under higher level stewardship, this complex part of the process can only be undertaken through the IT system. As a consequence of these IT system delays, it is now our intention that the first higher level agreements will come into force on 1 February 2006.

TRANSPORT

A21 Upgrade

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for public consultation on plans to upgrade the A21 between Flimwell and Hurst Green.

Stephen Ladyman: A public consultation was held from November 2002 to March 2003 on proposals to upgrade the A21 between Kippings Cross and Lamberhurst and between Flimwell and Robertsbridge. The Preferred Route was announced in February 2005 and an information exhibition was held at Hurst Green Village Hall on 4 March 2005.
	A further meeting has been scheduled for 28 November 2005, chaired by the Hurst Green Parish Council Chairman, where the Highways Agency will discuss, with individual groups, the plans to upgrade the A21 between Flimwell and Hurst Green. As part of the scheme development, there will be further discussions with key stakeholders and local interest groups.

Cycle Lanes

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of cycle lanes are due to be established in the next (a) 12 months, (b) five years and (c) 10 years.

Derek Twigg: Local highway authorities forecast they will establish 327 km of cycle lanes in 2005–06. Local authorities intentions for future years will be set out in their 2nd Local Transport Plans which are being finalised and will be submitted to the Department at the end of March 2006.

Light Rail Systems

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the environmental effects of light rail systems.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 8 November 2005
	It is for scheme promoters to undertake a detailed assessment of the environmental effects of their light rail scheme, as part of their bid for major scheme funding. The Department takes account of environmental effects on a scheme by scheme basis.

M3

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles use (a) junction 6 and (b) junction 7 of the M3 motorway each day; and what he estimates the capacity of each junction to be.

Stephen Ladyman: Traffic counts were carried out at the southern roundabout of junction 6 in September 2005 during morning and evening peak periods. From these it is estimated that between 55,000 and 75,000 vehicles per day use the roundabout. The capacity of the roundabout is approximately 5,500 vehicles per hour, but capacity is very sensitive to traffic flow patterns.
	There have been no recent traffic counts for the roundabout at junction 7.

M3

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the daily number of vehicles which will use (a) junction 6 and (b) junction 7 of the M3 motorway in (i) five years, (ii) 10 years and (iii)15 years, based on (A) current house building plans and (B) the South East of England Assembly plans for increased house building.

Stephen Ladyman: No recent estimates have been made of the daily numbers of vehicles using junctions 6 and 7 of the M3 in the future. However, at the public local inquiry, held earlier this year, into the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan Review, the Highways Agency concluded that, in 2016, the peak flow between junctions6 and 7 would be around 5,400 vehicles per hour in either direction.
	Traffic flows on the M3 between junctions 6 and 7 based on the South East of England Regional Assembly's current proposals for house building will depend upon the future location of housing and other factors such as the future regional transport strategy, all of which are subject to ongoing discussion between the Assembly and regional stakeholders. The Highways Agency is continuing to contribute to deliberations on the draft South East Plan.

Maritime Rescue

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were rescued by HM Coastguard working together with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in each of the last 30 years, broken down by region.

Stephen Ladyman: The numbers of persons rescued by HM Coastguard, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution or other search and rescue facilities during the period 2000–04 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Scotland and NI region 1,184 1,022 1,394 1,245 1,624 
			 Wales and west of England  Region 1,364 1,376 2,075 2,194 1,888 
			 East of England region 780 815 2,382 2,250 1,764 
			 Southern region 1,889 1,639 — — — 
			 Total persons rescued 5,217 4,852 5,851 5,689 5,276 
		
	
	In 2002, the former southern region was divided and the two parts incorporated into the Wales and west and eastern regions. Comparable information for the period prior to 2000 is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Ports

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  on how many occasions Transec has recorded a breach of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code since its introduction;
	(2)  whether (a) a physical port assessment and (b) a ship verification inspection conducted by the Transport Security Directorate in the last 12 months has resulted in suspension of operations.

Stephen Ladyman: It is not our policy to comment on, or provide information relating to, the compliance of individual ships or port facilities for security reasons.

Rail Passengers Council

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the work of the Rail Passengers Council will be reviewed; and when these reviews will take place.

Derek Twigg: As part of the Department's role in sponsoring the Rail Passengers Council (RPC), Ministers and officials regularly discuss with the RPC their work and performance. The Department also has a role in agreeing the RPC's corporate and business plans, including performance targets, and these plans will be published in early 2006. In addition, the RPC is required to publish an annual report and accounts which will give details of their work during a particular financial year.
	In the longer term, in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance on 'lighter touch' reviews of non-departmental public bodies, the work and role of the RPC will be reviewed on a five yearly basis. These reviews will ensure that the RPC is delivering effectively against its aims and objectives. The first review of the RPC will take place in 2009–10.

Railways

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's (a) policy is on and (b) funding allocation is to a direct rail service from London to Sunderland.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport has no plans at present to sponsor the introduction of a direct service between London and Sunderland.

Railways

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many operational arrangements have been established by the Rail Accident and Investigation Branch; and with which organisations.

Derek Twigg: The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has established a number of operational agreements to ensure that it is able to effectively carry out its investigations.
	A Memorandum of Understanding for investigation in England and Wales has been drawn up between the British Transport Police (BTP), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Association of Chief Police Officers and the RAIB. A similar Memorandum has been agreed for Scotland with the BTP, the HSE, the RAIB, the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland) and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. A further Memorandum of Understanding has between agreed between the RAIB, the Crown Prosecution service and the Air and Marine Accident Investigation Branches.
	A Memorandum of Understanding is being established with BEATT, RAIB's French equivalent in readiness for RAIB becoming operational for the Channel Tunnel in January (2006).
	While industry has the responsibility to implement the necessary arrangements to comply with the Rail (Accident Investigation and reporting) Regulations 2005, RAIB has published guidance and met with industry representatives and discussed these issues in order to facilitate this process.

Road Safety

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of his Department's budget has been allocated to road safety initiatives in financial year 200506.

Stephen Ladyman: Around 45 million has been allocated in 200506 to specific initiatives related to road safety, this represents 0.4 per cent. of the Department's Expenditure Limit of 12 billion. In addition, much of the expenditure by the Highways Agency and local authorities, which is funded through block funding by the Department, contributes to road safety.

Safety Cameras

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are made for using the revenue raised from speed cameras.

Stephen Ladyman: Revenue raised from speed cameras can be used to fund safety cameras operating within the National Safety Camera Programme. In order to participate in the netting off' arrangement, partnerships must comply with the strict criteria set out in the Handbook of Rules and Guidance for the National Safety Camera Programme for England and Wales for 200506, which is published on the DfT website.
	Netting-off means that the costs associated with the deployment and operation of safety cameras and the detection and enforcement of offences detected by cameras can be reclaimed from the receipts generated by the fines. The receipts are passed to the Department for Transport (DfT) and DfT reimburses the safety camera partnerships for approved expenditure incurred.
	Any surplus fine revenue is paid to the Consolidated Fund at HM Treasury.
	Fine revenue from cameras operating outside of the National Safety Camera Programme is passed directly to the Treasury.

Walking

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what walking activity targets have been set by each local authority.

Derek Twigg: No mandatory indicators for walking are required in either the first or second local transport plans (LTPs). However, some local authorities have set targets either as local targets within their LTPs or as part of local public service agreements. Data on these targets are not collected centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Departmental Consultation

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will list formal consultations being sponsored by the Law Officer's Departments; and what the (a) commencement date and (b) deadline for responses is in each case.

Mike O'Brien: None of the Departments for which I am responsible are currently engaged in any form of formal public consultation. However, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) headquarters is currently preparing a policy statement and guidance on the transmission of serious sexual diseases and will offer this for formal public consultation for a period of six weeks between February and March 2006.
	CPS areas may be engaged in consultations locally. However, the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost (code of practice on Access to Government Information, part 2, clause 9).

Departmental Staff (Literacy and Numeracy)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Solicitor-General what methods of assessment of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills are used as part of the recruitment process by employees of his Department.

Mike O'Brien: I superintend the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO), Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSol) and HM CPS Inspectorate (HMCPSI). The Departments employ a variety of methods for assessing literacy and numeracy skills, dependent on their particular needs and the grade and specialism of the person being recruited.
	Crown Prosecution Service
	A variety of assessment methods are used for example, shortlisting application forms; undertaking competence based interviews; and/or using other selection methodology such as assessment centres, ability testing or job simulation exercises. These can include presentations, case studies, in-tray exercises and group discussions.
	Treasury Solicitor's Department
	TSol recruits both qualified and trainee lawyers, all of whom have to be qualified to degree level. In recruiting administrative staff they are either required to be qualified to at least GCSE level or have demonstrated relevant skills, including literacy and numeracy, in previous employment, which are essential to be able to undertake administrative work in the department.
	Serious Fraud Office
	The SFO uses a number of recognised tools to assess both literacy and numeracy skills for both internal and external applicants. These are supplied by SHL Ltd. and take the form of online and hard copy ability tests which assess verbal and numerical critical reasoning. They used to assess applicants below grade 7. Applicants at grade 7 and above are asked to demonstrate a wider range of skills through a number of work specific assessments.
	HM CPS Inspectorate
	HMCPSI's recruitment is based on assessing candidates against a person specification. Literacy and numeracy skills are not routinely the subject of formal assessment but for some posts for example HM Inspectors and HM Assistant Inspectors the recruitment process usually includes a report writing exercise. While this is mainly focused on the candidates ability to analyse information and draw conclusions from it, it is also used to ensure they are competent in written communication generally and the drafting of reports in particular.
	Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office
	RCPO has only been in existence since April 2005. No specific assessment methodologies are used at present.

Literacy and Numeracy

Nick Gibb: To ask the Solicitor-General how many employees in his Department requested training to improve their (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills in each year since 2002.

Mike O'Brien: Of the Departments for which I am responsible, no records have been identified of requests by staff for literacy and numeracy training from the Treasury Solicitor's Departments, the Serious Fraud Office, the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office and HM CPS Inspectorate.
	For the CPS no information is held regarding individual requests. Areas may fund individuals to improve their literacy and numeracy skills, and some have relationships with local colleges and Learning Skills Councils, but this is usually for level 3 and above as there is little need for levels 1 or 2.

Parachute Regiment (Prosecutions)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Attorney-General was consulted by the Army Prosecution Authority before the prosecution of the seven recently acquitted members of the Parachute Regiment took place; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Army Prosecuting Authority took the decision that there should be prosecutions in this case. As three of the accused were no longer serving soldiers it was not possible to prosecute them by court martial without the express consent of the Attorney-General, in accordance with section 132A of the Army Act 1955. The APA sought the Attorney-General's views on the appropriate jurisdiction and his consent to prosecute those three soldiers advising that they considered that there was a realistic prospect of conviction against all the accused on a joint charge of murder and a second charge of violent disorder.
	The Attorney-General accepted the advice that therewas sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and granted his consent to the prosecution of the three soldiers as required. He did not provide advice on the case.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Broadband

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry where the 0.2 per cent. of telephone lines in England which at present cannot get broadband are located.

Alun Michael: I am unable to add further to the answer I provided on 27 October 2005, Official Report, column 476W, namely that the information is not available in the form requested.

BSkyB

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what formal representations BSkyB has made to the Office of Fair Trading in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what formal representations have been made to the Office of Fair Trading concerning BSkyB in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Having consulted the Office of Fair Trading I understand this information is not held in a form that would make it possible to answer this question without incurring disproportionate cost. OFT stores information by individual cases or mergers, not by the parties that submit representations.

Company Directors

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the number of 16 and 17-year-olds who would opt to become a company director should the legal age be reduced to 16 years; and how many company directors there are aged 18 years.

Alun Michael: There is no minimum age for company directors and therefore no proposal to reduce the legal age, as implied in the question. The Company Law Reform Bill introduces a minimum age, 16, for an individual person to be a director. The Bill also contains a clause which confers on the Secretary of State power to make regulations specifying the circumstances in which someone under 16 may be the director of a company. As to the number of company directors there are aged 18 years, this cannot be ascertained without disproportionate cost noting that the records do not easily distinguish between those directors that are corporate bodies and those who are individual people.

Departmental Staff (Relocation)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in his Department (a) were relocated in 200405 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 200506 following the Lyons Review; where they have been relocated; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 8 November 2005
	The information is as follows.
	(a) In 200405 the Department relocated 171 posts against a target of 85 posts by 31 March 2008. Posts have been relocated to; Sheffield, Billingham, Belfast, Cumbria, Cardiff, Manchester and Newport.
	(b) So far in 200506 a further 23 posts have been relocated to Cardiff, Newport and Belfast. A further tranche of 491 relocations are planned to take place up to 31 March 2010. Locations include; Manchester, Sheffield and Glasgow with further locations to be confirmed once detailed plans are finalised.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many full-time equivalent employee reductions have been made as a result of the Gershon review; what (a) cost savings relating to IT projects and (b) total value of efficiency savings (i) were achieved in 200405 and (ii) are expected to be achieved in 200506; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 8 November 2005
	DTI is making good progress toward meeting the SR04 headcount reduction of 1,010. As of 1 October 2005 headcount had been reduced by 720 posts including 80 in Government offices. UKTI has reduced headcount by 94 posts towards its target of 200. Further progress will be reported in the Department's autumn performance report.
	(a) (i) Cost savings achieved relating to IT projects in 200405 are not held. There are however (ii) expected efficiency savings of a least 7.3 million as detailed in the Departmental efficiency technical note (ETN) to be realised in 200708.
	(b) For the total value of efficiency savings achieved in 200405 (i) progress will be reported in the Department's autumn performance report and for those expected to be achieved in 200506 (ii) the Department has an efficiency forecast saving of 129.8 million for 200506 as detailed in the ETN.

Grocery Trade

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individual responses his Department has made in the last 12 months to (a) members of the public, (b) commercial organisations, (c) hon. Members and (d) other bodies in response to inquiries, questions and representations about (i) the grocery trade and (ii) Tesco; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department currently handles around 50,000 letters a year and approximately 200,000 e-mails on a wide range of issues. Further breakdown in the form requested is not available.

IT Projects

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list for each IT project his Department has undertaken since May 1997 which has incurred a total expenditure of 5 million or more (a) the name of the project, (b) its intended purpose, (c) the principal contractors involved and the payments made to each, (d) the original estimate of the cost of the project, (e) the actual outturn of expenditure on the project, (f) the intended date on which the project was to be fully implemented, (g) the actual date on which it was fully implemented or cancelled, (h) modifications which have been made to the project since it was first commissioned, (i) contractors on the project whose contracts have been cancelled, (j) replacement or additional contractors on the project, (k) the most reliable estimate of public expenditure saved as a result of implementing the project and (l) the most reliable estimates of improved performance of departmental functions as a result of implementing the project.

Alan Johnson: During the period May 1997 to the present the Department's IT services have been provided through a PFI agreement with Fujitsu Services. This covers desktop services, web infrastructure services, documents management and HR systems. However, due to a change in the Department's accounting system during 200304 and the devolved nature of the ICT, consistent data on all the information requested cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Mobile Phones

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of ways of increasing mobile phone coverage in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Regulation of the mobile market is a matter for the independent regulator Ofcom and Ofcom is accountable to Parliament rather than to Ministers for the way it carries out that regulation. One of Ofcom's duties is ensuring that a wide range of electronic communications servicesincluding high speed data servicesis available throughout the UK. Assessment of how to fulfil this duty falls to the regulator. Ofcom's annual report and annual plan include details of its actions to do so.
	Mobile phone coverage in the UK stands at around 9899 per cent. of populated areas. Rollout of networks is a matter for the mobile operators, but the Government believe that competition between networks has been the spur to coverage reaching this level, and will provide incentives for further investment in the networks, potentially including further geographical coverage.

Pirate Radio Stations

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry 
	(1)  how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful prosecutions for the unauthorised transmission of radio signals there have been in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of pirate radio stations broadcasting within (a) London and (b)the UK;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with Ofcom on reducing the number of pirate radio stations in operation.

Alun Michael: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Ofcom is the independent regulator for the communications sector, deriving its main powers and duties directly from statute rather than by delegation from the Secretary of State, and accountable to Parliament in its own right. Accordingly, my officials have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to respond directly to the hon. Member and to send me a copy of his response. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will also be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Transsexual People

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on protection against discrimination for transsexual people in the provision of goods and services.

Meg Munn: The Government will address the issue of protection against discrimination for transsexual people in the provision of goods and services as part of the Discrimination Law Review.

Unsolicited Mail

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what rights consumers have to opt out of hand-delivered unsolicited mail.

Barry Gardiner: By registering with the mailing preference service (MPS) individuals who object to receiving unsolicited mail can have their details removed from mailing lists to reduce the amount of addressed advertising literature they receive. The MPS is not designed to stop unaddressed items of mail, direct mail delivered to the door or the delivery of free newspapers. Mail addressed to 'occupant', 'resident' or 'homeowner' is also not covered under the MPS.
	Those who wish to stop mailings from organisations that are not part of the MPS or with whom they already have a relationship, such as a bank or building society, must contact respective organisations direct.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Algeria

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the British Government (a) have taken and (b) is taking to restore peace and democracy in Algeria.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	We continue to work with the Algerian Government to promote peace and democracy and are committed to the development of closer counter terrorism co-operation with the Algerian authorities. Algerian officials have recently visited the UK to study UK counter terrorism structures. We have welcomed the participation of the Algerian people in the national referendum on the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation. We hope that, based upon consultations with its people, Algeria will achieve lasting peace and reconciliation based on the rule of law and respect for human rights.
	On 2728 November we will be co-hosting with Spain the EuroMed Tenth Anniversary Summit in Barcelona, which will be an important opportunity to help the EU's Mediterranean Partners, including Algeria, to address the challenges of the 21st century, including good governance.

Commonwealth Development Corporation

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the rate of return was of former Commonwealth Development Corporation Investments in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: Details of the rates of return on the Commonwealth Development Corporation's (CDC)s investments in Sub-Saharan Africa in each year between 1999 and 2004 are shown in the table. The CDC did not hold any investments in the Middle East during this period. Data are only available on a consistent basis from 1999 when the CDC became a public limited company.
	
		Sub-Saharan Africa
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1999 11.4 
			 2000 (3.5) 
			 2001 (8.0) 
			 2002 14.3 
			 2003 23.2 
			 2004 19.3 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures in brackets represent a negative return.

Commonwealth Development Corporation

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what profits the Commonwealth Development Corporation made on investments in (a) Asia, (b) South America, (c) the Middle East and (d) Africa in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: Details of the profits the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) made on its investments in Asia, South America and Africa in each year between 1999 and 2004 are shown in the following table. The CDC did not hold any investments in the Middle East during this period. Data are only available on a consistent basis from 1999 when the CDC became a public limited company.
	
		$ million
		
			  Asia Americas Africa 
		
		
			 1999 27.5 25.5 38.6 
			 2000 7.2 (13.0) (12.6) 
			 2001 (5.1) (54.4) (19.8) 
			 2002 33.3 (2.2) 29.8 
			 2003 58.6 (41.9) 44.1 
			 2004 58.5 32.0 60.7 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures in brackets represent a loss

Departmental Spending

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on items of art in 200405.

Gareth Thomas: During the period between 200405, the Department for International Development did not accrue any expenditure on the purchasing of items of art.

Forestry

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the UK has made available in each of the last 10 years to help developing countries with forestry programmes and re-forestation projects; and what proportion of the total international development budget that figure represented in each year.

Hilary Benn: The following table gives DFID's expenditure on forestry for the 10 year period from 199596 to 200405. It also gives DFID's expenditure on forestry as a percentage of expenditure on bilateral aid and as a percentage of total DFID expenditure on development.
	DFID also makes contributions to multilateral institutions some of whose funding will also help developing countries with forestry programmes and reforestation projects.
	
		DFID expenditure on forestry: 199596 to 200405 -- 000
		
			  Total forestry spending Total GPEX on Bilateral Aid Total GPEX on Development Forestry as percentage of total on Bilateral Aid Forestry as percentage of total on Development 
		
		
			 199596 21,705 1,418,381 2,634,465 1.53 0.82 
			 199697 20,823 1,281,571 2,414,793 1.62 0.86 
			 199798 15,162 1,438,684 2,529,815 1.05 0.60 
			 199899 13,305 1,379,719 2,656,802 0.96 0.50 
			 19992000 17,941 1,660,868 2,977,597 1.08 0.60 
			 200001 19,865 1,757,823 3,231,282 1.13 0.61 
			 200102 17,321 1,990,607 3,477,460 0.87 0.50 
			 200203 18,885 2,516,333 4,146,992 0.75 0.46 
			 200304 18,462 2,597,740 4,712,900 0.71 0.39 
			 200405 19,342 2,800,467 4,822,795 0.69 0.40 
		
	
	Note:
	GPEX=Total Gross Public Expenditure

Microbicide Development Programme

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to extend the grant to the Microbicide Development Programme beyond 31December 2006; and what progress has been made on the development of the revised EC programme of action to tackle HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria through external action between 2007 and 2011.

Hilary Benn: DFID is currently providing a grant of 16 million to 31 September 2006 to the Microbicide Development Programme (MDP) co-ordinated by the Medical Research Councils Clinical Trials Unit and Imperial College. A proposal to allow an extension of the work of the MDP to complete a Phase III trial of the leading candidate microbicide Pro 2000 has been now been agreed with DFID providing 23.8 million of additional funding.
	The Programme for Action to tackle HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria through external action between 2007 and 2011 was agreed in May 2005. The Commission is currently working on a roadmap with the objective of translating the commitments made into deliverables. Discussions have been on-going via an EU Health Experts Network Group and it is expected that agreement will be reached next year. Funding for the Programme for Action has yet to be agreed under the new Financial Perspectives.

Nigeria

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid has been allocated to Nigeria to assist with the development of democratic government.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development is committed to assisting Nigeria to develop more effective democratic governance to eliminate poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Between November 2000 and December 2008 101.85 million has been allocated to programmes aimed at helping Nigeria to develop the institutions and processes necessary for effective democratic governance. These include a 7 million programme of support to the 2007 Elections and technical assistance of 2.65 million to the Nigerian Parliament. Other support includes assistance to a government-led Public Sector Reform programme, technical assistance to state and local governments and support to civil society to better represent the interests of Nigerians and engage more constructively with government.
	
		Background table of current active programmes:
		
			 Programme Begin date End date Allocation ( million) 
		
		
			 Support to the 2007 Elections March 2005 March 2008 7 
			 Support to the National Assembly April 2005 March 2008 2.65 
			 Security, Justice and Growth October 2001 March 2007 30 
			 State and Local Government November 2000 March 2007 22.8 
			 Public Service Reform April 2005 December 2008 19 
			 Service Delivery Initiative November 2004 June 2007 7. 5 
			 Support to the Nigerian Census November 2004 December 2006 7.5 
			 Voices: Using Radio Programming to Explore Governance Issues August 2003 August 2006 5.4

Papua New Guinea

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the international support available to Papua New Guinea to meet costs incurred in caring for refugees from West Papua.

Gareth Thomas: International support for West Papuan refugees in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is provided through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Their priorities are to regularise the status of refugees, to strengthen the capacity of the PNG institutions to meet refugees basic needs and to promote self reliance and integration. DFID has undertaken no separate assessment of needs.

Sierra Leone

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 4312W, on Sierra Leone, if his Department will retract its planned support for a communications project to support the Sierra Leone National Commission for Privatisation and offer to assist with a public consultation project that gives information about both public and private water sector models; and when his Department expects a decision to be made on whether Guma Valley Water Company will be reformed under a public or private sector model.

Hilary Benn: The planned support is to assist with public consultation that gives information on all options for reform and assesses the best ways to improve the performance of 24 enterprises including the Guma Valley Water Company. There is currently no presumption as to the final option of reform for the Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC). The National Commission for Privatisation (NCP) has a much wider scope than looking at privatisation alone, which as stated by the NCP, may indeed not be a practical option in the case of GVWC. The NCP intends to consider a range of options including both public and private sector participation. DFlD's assistance is to help ensure good quality public consultation with provision of accurate and balanced information across a range of sectors. This will help towards the overall transparency and accountability of the reform process. The consultation will include local civil society organisations, with a good knowledge of conditions in Freetown.
	DFID will not decide on what model will be used to reform the GVWC; that is a matter for the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL). However there is an urgent need to reform and rehabilitate the GVWC, the GoSL lacks the resources to do this alone. The scope and nature of the possible role of the private sector, and the full range of options available to achieve GOSL's objectives, have yet to be evaluated. DFlD's programme of support is intended to ensure the NCP has adequate resources to make informed decisions about the reform of the GVWC as well as the other enterprises in its portfolio.
	DFID assistance is in direct response to a GoSL request to build capacity of the NCP, and help ensure transparent processes with correct procedures and regulation are put into place. No final decision on the future shape of GVWC would be expected before 2008.

Workers Rights

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to improve the rights of working people in developing countries; what changes have been made; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The effective implementation of workers rights can play an important part in the reduction of poverty and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The Government have current commitments of over 46 million to support activities to improve treatment of workers in developing countries, including the elimination of child labour and trafficking for forced labour. This is primarily channelled through the International Labour Organisation (ILO) but also supports the work of non-governmental organisations, trade unions and business.
	There is a long way to go but changes are being achieved. For example the project for the elimination of child labour in Andhra Pradesh India, which DFID funds through the ILO, has reported the near total elimination of child labour in its initial pilot district. This project is now being extended to more districts. Another example is the increased number of companies joining the Ethical Trading Initiative, which DFID has supported since it began. These companies make a commitment to implement a labour code of conduct through their supply chains and to working with trade unions and non-governmental organisations to improve the lives of working people around the world.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Council

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Arts Council; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met Sir Christopher Frayling, Chair of Arts Council England, on 26 May 2005 and will meet him again before the end of the year. I meet Sir Christopher and members of the Arts Council's senior executive team on a more regular basis.

Justices' Licences

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications there were for revocations of justices' licences issued under the Licensing Act 1964 in England and Wales in (a) 199295, (b) 199598, (c) 19982001 and (d) 200104; how many of these were (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: Data for the number of justices' licences revoked are collected every three years and are available for a 12 month period to the 30 June as detailed in the table:
	
		
			 Year to 30 June Total revocations 
		
		
			 1992 262 
			 1995 378 
			 1998 317 
			 2001 183 
			 2004 354 
		
	
	Source:
	DCMS Statistical Bulletin: Liquor Licensing: England and Wales, July 2003-June 2004, Table 5.
	Information is not available on the number of applications for revocation of justices' licences.

London Olympics

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether contracts to be granted in connection with the London Olympics 2012 will be subject to European Union rules in respect of public sector contracts.

Tessa Jowell: Procurement activities for the Olympic Games will take place within both a domestic and international legal framework, including European Procurement Directives. The Procurement Principles published by the interim Olympic Delivery Authority recognise the importance of maximising local benefits and the wider economic dividend, as well as bringing lasting economic, social and environmental benefits to London and the UK.

London Olympics

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what changes have been made to the proposed budget for security for the 2012 Olympics since the London terrorist attacks.

Tessa Jowell: The security planning and budgeting for the 2012 Olympics have been robust and detailed. However, we cannot at this stage know exactly what the security situation will be in 2012. Over the next seven years we will keep the plans under review, informed by advice from the Metropolitan Police Service and the Security Services.

London Olympics

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Olympic lottery tickets have been sold, broken down by region.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 7 November 2005
	Camelot Group plc. have informed us that, as at the end of September 2005, some 10.2 million Olympic Lottery tickets had been sold. There is no breakdown available by region but the related scratchcards have been distributed to lottery retailers throughout the UK.

London Olympics

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what person specification she has set for the job of Chief Executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority; and whether applicants will be required either to have worked previously on delivering an Olympic Games or to have been a participant in the Olympic Games.

Tessa Jowell: As the job description makes clear, the successful applicant for the job of Chief Executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority will be respected for their track record of delivery. They will be credible, persuasive, energetic, self-motivated, highly innovative and inspirational. They will be highly focused on the delivery of the venues, facilities and infrastructure for staging the Olympics and on the creation of lasting legacy for the nation and the communities in which the Games will take place. They will exhibit a high degree of probity and integrity and will lead by example. They will not be required to have worked previously on the delivery of an Olympic Games or to have participated in them.

London Olympics

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had on appointing a representative of the British Paralympic Association to the Olympic organising committee for 2012.

Tessa Jowell: Paralympic Sport is well represented on the organising committee for 2012 with Mike Brace, the Chairman of the British Paralympic Association and Tony Sainsbury, President of the International Paralympic Committee both having seats on the Transitional Board of LOCOG.

London Olympics

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what improvements are planned to Romford's sports facilities as a result of London's successful Olympic bid.

Richard Caborn: London's Olympic bid provided details of planned improvements that were necessary to stage the Olympics. This did not include possible improvements to other sporting facilities as part of a wider effort to maximise the benefits of hosting the games.
	Hosting the Olympics provides an opportunity to create a sporting legacy across the UK and relevant authorities in a number of regions across the UK are considering whether to develop sporting facilities as part of their plans to maximise the benefits of the UK hosting the games.
	By 2006, Government and the national lottery will have committed over 1 billion to develop new or refurbished public sports facilities. This represents a considerable investment in our facilities infrastructure.
	Sports facilities programmes such as Active England, New Opportunities for PE and Sport, and the Community Club Development Programme have already supported the development of over 4,000 new or refurbished sports facilities.
	Romford facilities that have benefited from such investment include the Central Park Leisure Centre, which officially opened to the public on 13 November 2004, which was part funded by a Sport England lottery grant of 4.244 million.

Online Gambling

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures are being taken to ensure that children do not undertake online gambling.

Richard Caborn: Under the current legislation British licensed operators are permitted to offer betting on-line. These operators are subject to the same regulation as bricks and mortar bookmakers, including the existing prohibitions and penalties relating to underage betting. A bookmaker in breach of these prohibitions is a risk of both losing his licence and prosecution. On-line casinos, however, cannot be based in Great Britain under existing legislation. As a result they currently operate off-shore and beyond British jurisdiction. This was one of the major reasons why the Government decided to introduce the Gambling Act 2005.
	The protection of children from being harmed or exploited by gambling is one of the key objectives of the Gambling Act, and it contains a package of measures aimed at preventing children from gambling.
	Most importantly the Act provides a new regulatory regime for on-line gambling. For the first time on-line casino operators will be able to be licensed in this country, and as such subject to strict licence conditions.
	These conditions will include explicit provisions on social responsibility, including 'know your customer' requirements and the use, by on-line gambling operators, of age verification systems.
	These conditions will be enforced by the new Gambling Commission, which came into existence in October this year, with robust powers to investigate and ultimately withdraw licences and prosecute those in breach of the law. The Gambling Commission will be proactive in this regard, and the Act allows the Commission or the police to use children to test the robustness of a gambling operator's age verification systems.
	Under the Gambling Act it will be an offence for a licensed on-line operator to invite or permit a child or young person to participate in on-line gambling, including all casino gambling. Some very limited exceptions allow 16 to 18-year-olds to take part in on-line football pools or purchase a lottery ticket. It will also be an offence for anyone in the UK to bring gambling advertising to the attention of a person under the age of 18 years. Furthermore the Act will prevent any on-line operator based in a territory outside the European Economic Area from advertising in the UK, unless that territory has be specified by the Secretary of State in regulation. The Government believe that this will prevent UK citizens from being exposed to a large number of operators based in territories which do not offer the same protections to children and young people.
	The Act also introduces several new provisions designed to prevent children and young people from gambling, including providing that a young person of 1617 years old will him/herself commit an offence if he/she gambles. In addition, a licensed gambling operator who, for whatever reason, permits a person under the age of 18 to gamble will have to return the stake gambled to that child or young person. Operators, however, will have no rights to reclaim any winnings awarded. While we expect that the British licensed industry will readily maintain the very highest standards, we believe that this will act as a further incentive to operators to ensure that their age verification systems are robust.
	The Gambling Act will be fully implemented in September 2007. In the meantime my Department is working closely with the international gambling industry to promote socially responsible practices now. The Remote Gambling Association, the trade association for remote gambling operators, will very shortly make compliance with their Social Responsibility Code of Practice a condition of membership. This Code includes specific conditions relating to age verification. The Gambling Commission will also active push for improvements in age verification systems and will work closely with software developers, gambling operators and the banking sector to do so. My Department is also looking at building on international links with regulators in other jurisdictions to work across borders to protect our citizens from exploitation from unscrupulous remote gambling operators.
	The protection of children and young people from harm from gambling is a key priority for my Department. We remain dedicated to doing all we can under the existing legislation in preparation for the modern, more robust regime, the Gambling Act will introduce.

Public Entertainment Licences

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for revocation of public entertainment licences there were in England and Wales in each year since 1994; how many of these were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: The statistics are not held centrally, but are held by each individual local authority.

Television Licences

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reason the monarch is exempt from the requirement to purchase a television licence; and whether this exemption extends to television sets in staff quarters.

James Purnell: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The BBC, as licensing authority, has responsibility for interpreting the television licensing legislation and determining licensing requirements in individual cases. However, my understanding is that the monarch is exempt from the television licensing requirements set out in the Communications Act 2003 under the general rule of constitutional law that an Act of Parliament does not bind the Crown unless and to the extent specified in the Act. Crown exemption would extend to servants of the Crown who install and use television on Crown premises for official purposes, but not to sets installed or used for recreational purposes or to sets installed for private use in staff living quarters.
	The Royal Household has indicated that, notwithstanding Crown exemption, Her Majesty does in fact purchase licences for each of her official and private residences.

Television Licences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much revenue the fines from unpaid television licences generated in the last year for which figures are available; and what happens to the revenue.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. Member to the answerI gave him on 18 October 2005, Official Report, columns 84546W.

Television Licences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of people who operated televisions without a licence in each year since 1997.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 18 October 2005, Official Report, column 846W.

Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Chinese tourists have visited the UK in each month since January 2004.

James Purnell: Monthly data on the number of inbound visits to the UK from China have not been provided because of difficulties over the statistical reliability of results given the small sample size. The following table details total quarterly and annual visits since the start of 2004 from China and Hong Kong.
	
		Total inbound visits from China
		
			  Visits (thousand) 
		
		
			 Q1 (January-March) 18 
			 Q2 (April-June) 14 
			 Q3 (July-September) 35 
			 Q4 (October-December) 28 
			 2004 95 
			   
			 Q1 (January-March) 17 
			 Q2 (April-June) 18 
			 2005 (year to date) 35 
			   
			 Total inbound visits from Hong Kong  
			 Q1 (January-March) 36 
			 Q2 (April-June) 25 
			 Q3 (July-September) 57 
			 Q4 (October-December) 29 
			 2004 147 
			   
			 Q1 (January-March) 32 
			 Q2 (April-June) 41 
			 2005 (year to date) 73 
		
	
	Source:
	International Passenger Survey (IPS), ONS

Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the number of tourists visiting London before and after the 7 July terror attacks.

James Purnell: There are no figures available for the total numbers of tourists visiting London. London's tourism sector assesses its success in attracting visitors to the capital using a range of statistical resources including hotel occupancy figures, and the numbers of people visiting major tourist attractions.
	Both hotel occupancy and visits to attractions fell following the bomb attacks in July, when compared both to the preceding months in 2005, andmore relevantly for the industrywith the same months in 2004. While hotel occupancy had recovered to its 2004 rates by September 2005, visits to major central London attractions are still to reach the levels achieved in 2004. Visit London estimates that visits to these attractions were down nearly 21 per cent. for the period July to September 2005, compared to 2004.
	The Government, VisitBritain, and Visit London have been co-ordinating recovery work since July through the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group. Economic forecasting commissioned by the group has projected that the negative effect of the bombings on the London economy may be as high as 500 million for the rest of 2005. However, that work also projects that the total turnovers of both the London and the UK tourism industries for the whole of 2005 will still be higher than those achieved in 2004.

Ultra-local Television

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact on the licence fee of BBC plans for the large-scale introduction of ultra-local television in medium-sized cities.

James Purnell: As stated in the Green Paper published in March of this year, we are currently undertaking a review of BBC funding in order to determine the future level of the licence fee. We will be taking all relevant factors into account and will make an announcement in due course.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Personal Injuries (Small Claims)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment has been made of the likely impact of the proposals to raise the personal injuries limit for small claims from 1,000 to 5,000.

Bridget Prentice: The Better Regulation Task Force in its report, 'Better Routes to Redress' recommended that research should be carried out into the potential impact of raising the small claims limit for personal injury cases from the current limit of 1,000. The Government indicated that it would carry out this research and would also consider other options for dealing with these claims in a more proportionate and cost effective way. That research is currently underway and consultation will take place on any proposals which may emerge.

DEFENCE

3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment (Incident)

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the findings were of the Special Investigations Branch investigation of the incident of 13 May involving soldiers of the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment in the officers' mess at Hyderbad Barracks, Colchester; how many soldiers have subsequently been charged with offences arising from the incident; and how many soldiers have been discharged.

Don Touhig: The Special Investigation Branch conducted a full investigation and found insufficient evidence to support the allegations made. Therefore, no soldiers have been charged with offences or discharged as a result of the investigation.

Ammunition

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to modify the CHARM 3 L27 depleted uranium kinetic energy round.

Adam Ingram: We have no plans to modify the L27 CHARM 3 round.

Ammunition

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 27 October, Official Report, column 518W, on ammunition manufacturers, whether BAE Systems Land Systems (a) manufactures the small arms ammunition in the UK and (b) is on a fixed term contract; what proportion that company's supplies represents of small arms ammunition supplied to British forces; and where the balance comes from.

Adam Ingram: Small arms ammunition supplied to the Ministry of Defence by BAE Systems Land Systems (BAES LS) is manufactured in the UK at the Radway Green facility under the terms of the MOD/BAES LS Framework Partner Agreement. This 10 year agreement was signed in 2000.
	BAES LS supply approximately 95 per cent. of the MOD's current small arms ammunition requirements. The balance is supplied from companies in Sweden, Israel, Finland, Germany, Canada, Norway and Belgium.

Armed Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of raising the minimum recruitment age on the ability of the armed services to meet recruitment targets.

Don Touhig: If the armed forces were required to raise minimum age of entry it would create serious manning problems, since 35 percent of all recruits in financial year 200405 were aged under 18. The services, in particular the Army, would be unable to man current structures and maintain current capabilities. It is probable that should minimum entry age be raised, the good quality candidates would settle into other careers and thus be lost to the services.

Armed Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to investigate ways in which a broader pool of post-18 year-old recruits to the armed services might be attracted.

Don Touhig: Recruit marketing and advertising is both strategic and tactical and aimed at all ages within the target audience, but focused where necessary. Examples of initiatives specifically aimed at those aged 18 and over include:
	Graduate Recruitment Seminars
	University Bursaries
	Medical Cadetships
	Defence Training Undergraduate Schemespecifically aimed at technical students
	Leadership and Development courses at Universities
	Sponsorship of students at Colleges of Further Education
	Golden Helios for Army Operational Pinch Point trades, e.g.Royal Engineers, Royal Logistics Corps, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Intelligence Corps and Amy Medical Services
	Recruiting visits by specialist teams to universities
	Others (e.g. Jobcentre Plus workshops, Adult Look at Life Courses, Careers Exhibitions).

Armed Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his definition of the target recruit population for the armed services is; and what groups or individuals are excluded.

Don Touhig: Armed forces employment is open to British, Commonwealth and Republic of Ireland citizens providing they meet the required entry eligibility standards. While marketing is aimed at those of pre-eligible age, eligibles, and parents/gatekeepers, the bulk of recruit marketing is targeted at the 1624 age group.
	Employment in cap-badged posts in the Royal Marines General Service, the Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps, the Infantry, and the Royal Air Force Regiment are closed to women for reasons of combat effectiveness.
	The armed forces also remains closed to those with unspent criminal convictions.

Armed Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what means he monitors the practice of Phase I training establishments (a) in collecting information concerning the immediate family members of recruits and (b) providing contact details of welfare officers and commanding officers; and what steps he is taking to review this information at Phase II entry level.

Don Touhig: A study into current working welfare arrangements is currently being undertaken by the Defence Individual Training Capability Team in conjunction with the Service Personnel Policy area. The main part of their remit is to look closely at working welfare arrangements on training establishments.

Armed Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) casualty notification officers and (b) casualty visiting officers are employed by the Army; what the course content of induction training for theseposts is; and what the duration of training is for each.

Don Touhig: All brigade headquarters maintain a roster of available officers for Casualty Notification Officers and Visiting Officers duties. Numbers on the rosters vary but each headquarters will normally have about 50 Officers listed to carry out these duties.
	Seminars/Study days are conducted by all brigade headquarters on a regular basis. They comprise of presentations and discussions on: casualty administrative procedures; repatriation; funerals; pensions; Army Welfare Service; understanding bereavement (but not counselling); role of Army chaplains; and the investigation process.
	The Army is developing a standardised training package covering all relevant issues which will be available to all headquarters and units by the end of March 2006.

Armed Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he approved the issue of a guidance note dealing with the care and management of under-18s in the armed services; what the principal developments are that build upon existing practice and previous guidelines; what steps he has taken to circulate the note among (a) those responsible for implementing its recommendations and (b) under-18 recruits; how he will monitor the effectiveness of the guidelines; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Don Touhig: A guidance note on care for the Service personnel under the age of 18, approved by the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, was issued to the Principal Personnel Officers of each of the three Services on 12 July 2005. This was then disseminated through the three Services' chains of command. The armed forces continuously monitor the effectiveness of the care given to under-18s. External inspection and audit provides further assurance.
	A copy of the guidance note is available in the Library of the House.

Armed Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to further his investigation of the feasibility of undertaking Criminal Records Bureau checks on personnel who supervise recruits and trainees who are aged under 18 years; and what plans he has to introduce these checks.

Don Touhig: Under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, Criminal Records Bureau checks do not apply to those working with service personnel between the ages of 16 and 18 because they are in full-time employment. We continue to keep the relevant legislation under review.

Armed Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the result was of his review of policy concerning under-18s conducting guard duty.

Don Touhig: A guidance note on care for the under-18s was issued to the Principal Personnel Officers of each of the three Services on 12 July 2005. This includes guidance on armed guarding. A copy of this guidance note is available in the Library of the House.

Armed Services

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the total strength was of (a) the Regular Army and (b) the Territorial Army on 1 October;
	(2)  how many people have been recruited to the Infantry Territorial Army in the last 12 months.

Don Touhig: As at 1 September 2005, the total strength of the Regular Army was 107,340. This figure includes trained and untrained personnel. The Regular Army data as at 1 October 2005 is not yet available. The data is due to be released on 11 November and will be available on the DASA website www.dasa.mod.uk
	As at 1 October 2005, the total strength of the Territorial Army excluding non-regular permanent staff (NRPS) was 35,270 of which 1,200 were Mobilised TA.
	Between 1 October 2004 and 30 September 2005,1,590 people have been recruited to the Infantry Territorial Army. This only includes new recruits and those from the Regular Reserve. This figure does not include recruitment to NRPS, those joining the University Officer Training Corps, Full Time Reserve Staff and those flowing to and from Mobilised TA.

Bullying/Harassment

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's definitions are of (a) bullying and (b) harassment; and by reference to which external organisations these definitions were benchmarked.

Don Touhig: The Ministry of Defence's definitions of harassment and bullying are set out in the Department's unified guidance on the handling of complaints of harassment and bullying, issued as a Joint Service Publication (JSP 763) in April 2005, which states that:
	Bullying is a form of harassment, and describes a threatening or intimidating environment in which one or more people may become fearful or intimidated because of the negative or hostile behaviour of one or more people. It often involves a misuse of power or position. It is usually persistent, often unpredictable, and may be vindictive, cruel, or malicious. However, it can also arise without intent, such as when a person is unaware of the impact of his or her behaviour on someone else. Harassment is unwanted behaviour by one or more people, whether intentional or not, which violates a person's dignity and creates feelings of anxiety, humiliation, awkwardness, distress or discomfort which can have devastating consequences for that person.
	The industrial and non-industrial trade unions were consulted in the drafting of these definitions, and legal advice was taken to ensure that the definitions are compatible with employment law.

Challenger 2 Upgrade

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has (a) to replace and (b) to upgrade the L30A1 high-pressure 120mm rifled gun fitted to the Challenger 2 tank.

Adam Ingram: There are no plans to upgrade the L30A1 gun fitted to the Challenger 2 tank. However, studies are being undertaken to provide information for our future direct fire weapon requirements. This might include a potential replacement for the current Challenger 2 gun.

Challenger 2 Upgrade

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to upgrade the (a) L31 HESH and (b) L34 smoke rounds used by the L30A1 gun.

Adam Ingram: We have no plans to upgrade the L31 HESH and L34 smoke rounds. However, the next production run of these rounds will have a slightly modified fill to improve its insensitive munitions performance.

Child Protection

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what mechanism convictions in courts martial are made available to the Criminal Records Bureau for the purposes of child protection.

Don Touhig: Details of convictions are communicated to the military police of the relevant single service. Recordable offences are then passed on to the Police National Computer, from which they are accessible to a Criminal Records Bureau check.

Cut and Sew Contract

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many garments in each category of the Cut and Sew contract were checked for faults; how many faults were found; and what specific criteria were used to check for different faults.

Adam Ingram: The number of checks carried out up to 31 October 2005 are detailed in the table as follows:
	
		
			  Category  Number of garments checked 
		
		
			 1 Complex Cut and Sew  e.g. combat jacket 245 
			 2 Simple Cut and Sew e.g. ties 133 
			 3 Semi-structured e.g. shorts 18,657 
			 4 Knitted e.g. fleeces 16,243 
			 5 Towels 301 
		
	
	More checks were carried out in Categories 3 and 4 due to new items being added to the contract. Contractor's Workmanship samples are also requested from the Contractor, so that any faults can be rectified before production.
	Garments are checked against the contractual specification, which includes certain tolerances to allow for the bulk manufacturing process. Only one fault outside of these tolerances has been identified.

Departmental Telephone Lines

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the money that is raised from his Department's 0870 prefix contact telephone number is spent.

Don Touhig: The use of 0870 numbers in the Ministry of Defence is determined at the local level in accordance with individual business requirements. Records of 0870numbers and the revenue received from them is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Disablement Benefits

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the implications for hisDepartment's policy on provision of disablement pensions for ex-servicemen and medical auxiliaries of the decision in the case of Daniel Martin at the Pension Appeal Tribunal on 31 October.

Don Touhig: The Ministry of Defence's policy on the provision of war disablement pensions to former members of the armed forces is unchanged. Awards will continue to be made where evidence of disablement is shown and where that disablement is due to, or aggravated by, service.

Firearms

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he expects completion of the review of policy on the issue, control and security of firearms being conducted by the Director General of Training and Education.

Don Touhig: It is anticipated that the review of policy on the issue, control and security of firearms during initial training (Phase 1 and Phase 2), currently being conducted by the Director General Training and Education, in conjunction with the single Services, will culminate in revised policy early in the new year. Stringent regulations are already in place, but the purpose of the review is to ensure best practice is employed in weapon security in converting inexperienced Service personnel in Phase 1 through to trained individuals on completion of Phase 2 who fully understand their responsibilities for personal weapon security.

Forces Mental Well-being Policy

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what means and via what institutions the armed services maintain contact with (a) the Department of Health and (b) the devolved Administrations in order to develop the Forces' Mental Well-being policy.

Don Touhig: The Armed Forces Mental Wellbeing policy is developed and monitored through a steering group which comprises representatives from throughout the Ministry of Defence. The steering group monitors activities involving mental wellbeing in the United Kingdom including, for example, the outputs from the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
	Official contact between the Department of Health and MOD is regulated by a concordat that has been in place since 2002. This has led to arrangements with NHS Hospital Trusts, both those which host MOD Hospital Units and others, which enable MOD clinical personnel to be trained and to maintain their skills in the NHS environment. The concordat has now been extended to include the Health Departments for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Future Aircraft Carriers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State forDefence for what reasons revised in-service dates of2013 and 2016 for the two Future Aircraft Carriers were published on the Department's website on 19 September; and why this information was subsequently removed.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The dates were published on the website in error. These dates were removed as the in-service dates (ISDs) for the Future Aircraft Carriers will only be set following the main investment decision and once they have been approved by Ministers. This decision has not yet been taken, and will only be taken when we know with confidence the risks involved in building the carriers, when we have a proper understanding of the costs involved and the implications in terms of the wider interface with other projects, and for the shipbuilding industry.

Hearing Loss (Service Veterans)

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has commissioned on hearing loss among armed services veterans; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: Neither the Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for veterans' matters, nor the former Department of Social Security, which was responsible for the War Pensions Scheme until 2001 and remains responsible for the related civilian Industrial Injuries Scheme, have commissioned any research on this issue. The Government's approach to noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss assessment is based on contemporary scientific evidence and understanding. This has been confirmed in recent years by several reviews carried out by independent audiological experts including an Industrial Injuries Advisory Council review. The Ministry of Defence routinely scrutinises the published peer reviewed literature to ensure that compensation policy and approaches continue to take account of contemporary evidence.

HMS Nelson

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times HMS Nelson has been subject to random drug testing in each of the last three years; and what the results were.

Don Touhig: The dates, numbers and results of Naval personnel who underwent random drug testing at HMS Nelson are as follows:
	
		
			  Date Location Tested Positive 
		
		
			 2003 22 July RM Band Portsmouth 54 0 
			 2003 2 October HMS Nelson 189 0 
			 2004 21 April RM School of Music 83 0 
			 2004 9 November HMS Nelson 188 0 
			 2005 12 May RM School of Music 44 0 
			 2005 2 June RM School of Music 10 (16)0 
			 2005 10 August Nelson UPO 32 0 
			 2005 25 October Nelson PTIs and RN  Boxing Team 47 0 
		
	
	(16)new recruits

HMS Nelson

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will order an urgent investigation into whether there have been (a) breaches of security and (b) drug abuse in HMS Nelson; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: Suspected breaches of security and allegations of illegal substance abuse at MOD establishments are taken very seriously and are rigorously investigated. Following recent media allegations, investigations are already under way at HMS Nelson.

Interceptor Body Armour

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to issue interceptor body armour to troops on operational deployments, with particular reference to (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Interceptor body armour is the protection system used by US forces. UK body armour systems offer similar levels of ballistic stopping power, and we have no plans to acquire the interceptor equipment. As with all equipment, we keep personal protection equipment under continuous review.

Iraq

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether parts of Basra City are no longer regularly or routinely patrolled by UK forces.

Adam Ingram: UK forces continue to operate throughout Basra City. No areas are considered out of bounds.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many IT projects which cost over 1 million and were introduced since 1997 are in use in his Department.

Don Touhig: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Married Quarters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters will be required to meet his Department's plan in each of the next three years.

Don Touhig: Defence Estates (DE) is currently responsible for some 49,000 Service Families Quarters in England, Wales and Scotland. Of these, around 43,000 are seen as long-term core stock aspiration and it is DE's intention to reduce its holdings to that number.
	The figures provided are contained within the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts 200405, which are available online via the MOD's website www.mod.uk.

Ottawa Convention

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made in fulfilling the UK's obligations under the Ottawa Convention on landmines.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom completed its destruction of its stockpiles of anti-personnel mines in October 1999 and only retains a number of anti-personnel mines under Article 3 of the Ottawa Convention for the development of, and training in, mine detection, mine clearance, or mine destruction techniques. Under the Ottawa Convention, the UK is also required to clear all anti-personnel mines from its territory by March 2009. The only UK territory affected is in the Falkland Islands. Discussions have taken place with the Government of Argentina to agree a joint feasibility study, including a field survey of the Islands. A decision on how to proceed will be made once the results of the feasibility study are known.

RAF Recruitment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new recruits there have been to theRoyal Air Force on average in each of the last 10 years.

Don Touhig: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial year Officers Other ranks RAF total 
		
		
			 199596 280 2,150 2,420 
			 199697 320 2,360 2,680 
			 199798 400 3,130 3,530 
			 199899 430 3,820 4,250 
			 19992000 480 3,610 4,100 
			 200001 440 3,190 3,630 
			 200102 450 3,340 3,780 
			 200203 460 3,990 4,450 
			 200304 520 3,640 4,160 
			 200405 300 1,880 2,180 
			 
			 10 year average 410 3,110 3,520 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are for UK regular forces (including both trained and untrained personnel), and therefore exclude full-time reserve service personnel and mobilised reservists.

Research and Development

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for research and development in new defence technologies.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 October 2005
	Continued investment in science and technology will remain critical if we are to develop and sustain effective capabilities in the face of new and emerging threats. Technical excellence is fundamental to providing the major enabling support to front-line operations and to underpin the competitiveness of our national defence industry.
	The Defence Science and Technology Board will ensure that we get the right investment balance between sustaining in-house expertise and developing new technology in our supplier base. A well-structured policy of collaboration between MOD, industry and academia allows us to focus on commonly-identified technology development areas, improves risk reduction and maximises our ability to incorporate world class technologies developed in the UK into the equipment we buy.
	We have launched four Defence Technology Centres in areas of high priority for MOD and industry. They are jointly funded by MOD, industry and academia to carry out research at the basic science level. This is then exploited by each partner for their own purposes.
	Further information has been published in Delivering Security in a Changing World, the Defence White Paper of 2003 (Cm 6269) and in the MOD Departmental Plan 200509 under Future Capabilities chapter. Copies of these are in the Library and can be found on the MOD internet site at www.mod.uk.

Skynet

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2005, Official Report, column 1251W, on Skynet, how bandwidth is measured; and what units of measurement other than megahertz his Department has used.

Adam Ingram: The SKYNET 5 bandwidth is measured in megahertz (MHz). This is the standard unit of measurement for specifying satellite communication bandwidth within the Department.

UK Sourced Food

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of food for the armed services which is sourced in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 7 November 2005
	Under the terms of Article 30 of the Treaty of Rome, which prohibits quantitative restrictions on imports between member states and all measures having equivalent effect, the Ministry of Defence must treat fairly and evenly all potential EC product suppliers. However, the MOD's contracted food supplier, '3663', is specifically required to source British products whenever they are competitive and when they meet the required quality standard. MOD is working with Defra and industry to establish ways in which British producers can become more competitive. The Meat and Livestock Commission has chaired a forum involving MOD, '3663' and farming union representatives. These meetings have been highly productive and through them, the MOD has increased volumes of British meat purchased at competitive prices and of a quality standard consistent with the requirements of the British armed forces.

Unified Diversity Strategy

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the departmental Unified Diversity Strategy in the Library.

Don Touhig: Yes.

Welfare Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how frequently (a) the Armed Forces Policy Strategy Group, and (b) the Tri-Service Welfare Working Group have met in the past 12 months; and what conclusions each forum has reached on the merits of the creation of an in-house (i) magazine and (ii) website to address welfare issues at training establishments.

Don Touhig: I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the Accommodation, Families and Welfare Policy Steering Group that meets four times a year; and reporting to it a Tri-Service Welfare Working Group which meets three times a year. Their remit does not take into consideration creation of an in-house magazine or website to address welfare issues at training establishments, which remain single service responsibilities.

Welfare Services

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the terms of reference are of the tri-service review into the provision of welfare support in the armed services; what external bodies have been involved in the compilation of the final report; and if he will place the outcome of the review in the Library.

Don Touhig: The review into the provision of welfare support to the greater Service community was established to identify best practice and the potential for its application across the three Services. The following have been identified as key issues that will receive specific attention:
	Welfare Provision to Service personnel and their families who reside away from Service units.
	Welfare Provision on Tri-Service Units.
	Employment Risk associated with Non-Public Funded Organisations.
	Public/Non-Public/Charitable Funding Provision.
	Changes to Charities Law and how these will affect the armed forces.
	The review has consulted widely, including service charities. I will place a copy of the outcome in the Library of the House

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  which further education colleges in West Yorkshire will receive (a) a decrease and (b) an increase in their funding for adult education, not including for basic skills courses, in 200506 compared to 200405;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the level of funding provided by the Learning and Skills Council to (a) Shipley College and (b) other further education colleges in West Yorkshire to meet the non-basic skills needs of adults and employers in the locality; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  when each further education college in West Yorkshire was informed of its funding allocation for 200506.

Bill Rammell: The Government's Skills Strategy, reaffirmed in the White Paper published on the 22 March, sets clear priorities for public funding to support the drive to ensure that employers have the skills they need to be successful, and individuals have the skills they need to be employable and personally fulfilled. Funding for Further Education (FE) increased by 4.4 per cent. in 2005/06. Funding for non-vocational learning opportunities for adults, delivered mainly through local authority adult education services, has also increased. In 2004/05 we provided over 207 million to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in support of this learning. This has risen to 210 million in 2005/06. This funding will enable colleges and other providers to deliver a wide range of learning opportunities to meet the needs of adults in local communities but those who are able to do so will need to pay higher fees in the future. I set out the Government's priorities for the learning and skills sector and the impact on funding in 200607 and 200708 on the 21 October and full details can be found in Priorities for Success on the LSC's website.
	The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector, including adult education, to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC was established in 2001 bringing the planning and funding of post-16 education together under one body. My Department does not hold details of funding figures for FE colleges in West Yorkshire. As the timing and level of funding allocations in local areas relates to the LSC's operational responsibilities, the LSC's Chief Executive, Mark Haysom, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

A-level Grades

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many sixth form colleges in England achieved A level pass rates of above 99.0 per cent. in the summer 2005 examinations.

Jacqui Smith: Figures for the academic year 2003/04 show eight of the 101 sixth form colleges in England achieved a GCE A Level pass rate of above 99 per cent. 2003/04 figures have been provided as 2004/05 data are provisional and currently being checked by schools, therefore, cannot be released at school level.

Apprenticeships

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reason the costs of the provider contracts for the apprenticeships introduced by her Department were higher than expected; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning on 12 October 2005, Official Report, column 528W.

Building Schools for the Future

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the Building Schools for the Future projects which are in progress.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the Building Schools for the Future projects currently in progress is as follows.
	There are 38 projects (39 authorities) currently in progress in Waves 13 of Building Schools for the Future:
	Pathfinder and Wave 1 Projects
	Bradford
	Bristol
	Greenwich
	Knowsley
	Lancashire
	Leeds
	Leicester
	Lewisham
	Manchester
	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
	Sheffield
	Solihull
	South Tyneside and Gateshead
	Stoke-on-Trent
	Sunderland
	Waltham Forest
	Wave 2
	Birmingham
	Hackney
	Haringey
	Islington
	Kingston upon Hull
	Lambeth
	Liverpool
	Middlesbrough
	Nottingham City
	Tower Hamlets
	Newham
	Wave 3
	Barnsley
	Bradford
	Derbyshire
	Durham
	Kent
	Luton
	North Lincolnshire
	Salford
	Sandwell
	Southwark
	Tameside
	Westminster.

Class Sizes

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average class size was in each primary school in Cleethorpes in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: The data requested is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary schools: average class size taught by one teacher(17), position as at January each year: 1997 to 2005, Cleethorpes parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA Estab School name 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 812 2000 Allerton Primary School n/a n/a n/a 27.8 29.5 
			 812 2002 Woodlands Primary School n/a n/a n/a 26.0 24.8 
			 812 2109 William Barcroft Junior School 30.7 29.8 28.6 28.3 29.6 
			 812 2112 Elliston Infants' School 28.9 29.9 32.0 25.5 24.6 
			 812 2113 Queen Mary Avenue Infant School 27.1 26.1 27.1 28.5 27.3 
			 812 2114 Reynolds Junior School 33.9 31.1 30.3 30.8 27.9 
			 813 2116 East Halton Primary School 31.0 29.0 23.0 22.0 24.3 
			 813 2118 Goxhill Primary School 28.1 29.9 25.2 28.6 30.1 
			 812 2124 New Waltham Primary School 32.4 33.4 34.7 36.0 31.6 
			 813 2125 Killingholme Primary School 28.8 28.3 22.9 22.7 25.5 
			 812 2142 Thrunscoe Infants' School 32.0 25.3 29.6 22.5 24.2 
			 812 2144 Pelham Infants' School 25.8 34.3 30.8 27.2 19.0 
			 812 2145 Enfield (New Waltham) Primary School 25.8 29.3 25.8 22.3 27.8 
			 812 2151 The Leas Junior School 29.6 29.0 28.6 28.8 30.5 
			 812 2153 Thrunscoe Junior School 27.4 32.5 29.7 33.5 28.6 
			 812 2154 Healing Primary School 30.5 34.3 30.0 30.7 31.1 
			 812 2167 Allerton Infants' School 25.2 30.8 31.7 n/a n/a 
			 812 2175 Signhills Infants' School 30.9 27.4 27.6 25.8 26.1 
			 812 2176 Signhills Junior School 25.5 27.6 28.2 28.5 28.8 
			 812 2177 Allerton Junior School 29.8 29.3 27.5 n/a n/a 
			 812 2178 Eastfield Junior School 27.0 26.7 25.5 22.2 31.5 
			 812 2179 Eastfield Infants' School 25.2 36.7 30.7 34.7 30.9 
			 812 2181 The Leas Infants' School 27.9 30.1 27.8 29.4 26.3 
			 812 2182 Middlethorpe Primary School 32.9 33.1 31.9 23.8 32.5 
			 812 2183 Reynolds Infants' School 28.6 30.0 28.0 23.1 23.4 
			 812 2184 Elliston Junior School 29.3 31.0 29.9 32.7 30.1 
			 813 2568 Bowmandale Primary School 31.4 26.6 23.1 27.9 27.5 
			 812 2877 Coomb Briggs Primary School 29.9 30.3 30.3 30.1 29.9 
			 812 2917 Bradley Park Infant and Nursery School 22.4 30.9 23.5 n/a n/a 
			 812 2918 Bradley Park Junior School 35.0 26.9 26.8 n/a n/a 
			 812 2939 Humberston Cloverfields Primary School 30.6 27.5 26.7 27.1 26.4 
			 813 2940 Castledyke Primary School 26.2 29.0 26.9 29.1 25.7 
			 812 2943 Bursar Primary School 32.0 28.5 29.4 22.7 30.0 
			 813 3056 John Harrison C of E Primary School 29.2 23.4 27.8 25.9 26.4 
			 813 3057 Barton St. Peter's C of E Primary School 28.4 30.3 28.1 28.7 28.3 
			 812 3059 St. Peter's C of E Primary School 28.5 32.4 29.1 28.1 23.5 
			 812 3060 East Ravendale C of E Primary School 27.3 27.0 27.5 27.3 31.0 
			 812 3065 The Humberston C of E Primary School 31.2 30.1 28.7 28.3 24.8 
			 812 3066 Immingham St. Andrew's C of E Junior School 25.9 25.0 23.9 23.4 24.8 
			 813 3067 Kirmington C of E Primary School 20.5 20.5 19.5 10.7 16.0 
			 812 3068 Stanford Junior and Infant School 31.3 31.5 29.9 26.8 27.9 
			 812 3072 Stallingborough C of E Primary School 29.0 27.0 28.0 20.8 13.5 
			 813 3078 New Holland C of E and Methodist Primary School 30.0 27.0 26.5 23.0 22.3 
			 813 3079 Ulceby St. Nicholas C of E Primary School 21.3 23.6 23.4 23.9 23.5 
			 813 3322 Wootton St. Andrew's C of E Primary School 12.5 13.5 8.0 9.0 16.0 
			 812 3514 St. Joseph's RC Primary School 28.5 29.5 29.2 28.0 27.2 
			 812 3516 The Canon Peter Hall C of E Primary School n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			 LEA Estab School name 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 812 2000 Allerton Primary School 26.6 23.8 23.5 27.5 
			 812 2002 Woodlands Primary School n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 812 2109 William Barcroft Junior School 28.8 27.5 26.7 28.2 
			 812 2112 Elliston Infants' School 27.3 29.0 28.0 27.1 
			 812 2113 Queen Mary Avenue Infant School 28.0 27.5 28.0 27.6 
			 812 2114 Reynolds Junior School 27.6 27.5 24.5 23.9 
			 813 2116 East Halton Primary School 19.3 18.3 14.0 16.0 
			 813 2118 Goxhill Primary School 29.9 28.9 28.8 30.5 
			 812 2124 New Waltham Primary School 28.7 29.3 27.3 24.7 
			 813 2125 Killingholme Primary School 23.4 21.8 26.0 28.8 
			 812 2142 Thrunscoe Infants' School 23.6 25.6 26.6 32.3 
			 812 2144 Pelham Infants' School 17.0 23.8 n/a n/a 
			 812 2145 Enfield (New Waltham) Primary School 28.0 27.0 23.2 23.3 
			 812 2151 The Leas Junior School 26.2 29.7 29.4 31.9 
			 812 2153 Thrunscoe Junior School 28.0 26.8 25.0 26.5 
			 812 2154 Healing Primary School 26.2 26.9 29.3 28.2 
			 812 2167 Allerton Infants' School n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 812 2175 Signhills Infants' School 26.9 26.4 27.2 26.9 
			 812 2176 Signhills Junior School 27.6 28.1 29.3 29.0 
			 812 2177 Allerton Junior School n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 812 2178 Eastfield Junior School 23.3 29.8 28.5 33.0 
			 812 2179 Eastfield Infants' School 24.2 25.9 28.8 23.6 
			 812 2181 The Leas Infants' School 24.0 23.6 24.3 28.0 
			 812 2182 Middlethorpe Primary School 28.5 23.4 26.3 29.0 
			 812 2183 Reynolds Infants' School 23.0 21.6 21.4 21.0 
			 812 2184 Elliston Junior School 29.3 25.2 30.6 27.1 
			 813 2568 Bowmandale Primary School 26.9 24.8 26.1 27.2 
			 812 2877 Coomb Briggs Primary School 27.9 29.3 26.9 25.7 
			 812 2917 Bradley Park Infant and Nursery School n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 812 2918 Bradley Park Junior School n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 812 2939 Humberston Cloverfields Primary School 26.9 27.0 26.8 25.1 
			 813 2940 Castledyke Primary School 27.5 30.1 24.8 30.2 
			 812 2943 Bursar Primary School 28.0 28.6 27.0 28.3 
			 813 3056 John Harrison C of E Primary School 25.1 26.0 23.8 25.0 
			 813 3057 Barton St. Peter's C of E Primary School 28.7 29.4 29.1 30.2 
			 812 3059 St. Peter's C of E Primary School 23.8 23.4 25.1 24.8 
			 812 3060 East Ravendale C of E Primary School 22.4 26.7 25.7 24.7 
			 812 3065 The Humberston C of E Primary School 26.9 25.1 25.1 27.5 
			 812 3066 Immingham St. Andrew's C of E Junior School 23.8 22.3 n/a n/a 
			 813 3067 Kirmington C of E Primary School 15.5 16.0 15.5 15.0 
			 812 3068 Stanford Junior and Infant School 27.5 20.8 25.3 28.6 
			 812 3072 Stallingborough C of E Primary School 17.7 17.7 11.8 18.0 
			 813 3078 New Holland C of E and Methodist Primary School 22.3 20.8 19.0 19.5 
			 813 3079 Ulceby St. Nicholas C of E Primary School 23.7 22.7 24.7 24.7 
			 813 3322 Wootton St. Andrew's C of E Primary School 22.0 22.5 24.0 24.0 
			 812 3514 St. Joseph's RC Primary School 24.9 25.1 24.6 23.8 
			 812 3516 The Canon Peter Hall C of E Primary School n/a n/a 20.2 25.3 
		
	
	n/a=Not applicable.
	(17)Classes taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census in January.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census.

Education Funding

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average (a) primary and (b) secondary formula spending share per pupil is in each local education authority for 200607, listed in descending order of secondary formula allocations.

Jacqui Smith: We will be implementing new arrangements for school funding from 200607, including the introduction of a ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). We will announce details of local authorities' allocations of DSG for 200607 later in the autumn.

Education Initiatives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on theVocational Learning Diploma to be introduced in 2008.

Phil Hope: There will be five lines of specialised diplomas available for teaching from September 2008: in ICT; Health and Social Care; Engineering; Creative and Media; and Construction and the Built Environment. A further five lines will be available from September 2009: in Land Based and Environmental; Manufacturing; Hair and Beauty; Business Administration; and Finance and Hospitality and Catering. The final four lines will be available from September 2010: in Public Services; Sport and Leisure; Retail; and Travel and Tourism.
	We have set up multi-agency partnerships, led by Sector Skills Councils, to specify the content of the diplomas within their line of learning. Awarding bodies will subsequently develop the qualification on the basis of this. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has been providing advice on the overarching design of the diplomas. My right hon. Friend will announce further details shortly.

Education Initiatives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the operation of the school improvement partner scheme.

Jacqui Smith: The role of School Improvement Partners (SIPs) who are mostly headteachers is to challenge and support schools. Their work forms part of the new accountability and support arrangements called the New Relationship with Schools. SIPs will be searching and constructive about the key issues that each school faces without imposing unnecessary bureaucratic burdens. For anybody wishing to become an SIP, there is a demanding national assessment and accreditation process. The process started in the spring and has so far accredited 243 people.
	Schools and local authorities are responding positively to becoming involved in the SIP programme. We now have SIPs allocated to secondary schools in 27 local authorities. SIPs will be allocated to the rest of secondary schools in two further waves in April and September 2006. There is a pilot of SIPs in primary schools in six local authorities, to be followed by a phased national roll-out. We are also trialling school improvement partners in special schools in seven local authorities before deciding on a wider roll-out. At the same time, we are developing national arrangements to make sure SIPs are well managed and well supported, and to assure the quality of their work.

Education Initiatives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes in the Ofsted inspection process are to be introduced as part of the New Relationship with Schools.

Jacqui Smith: The Education Act 2005 provided the legislative base for changing the school inspection system in line with other aspects of the New Relationship with Schools. The new inspection arrangements, which were tested extensively during the last academic year, came into effect in September.
	Inspection is an integral part of the New Relationship, which links to other elements in a number of ways. Inspections will now take place with minimal notice and will be shorter in duration. They will draw on enhanced data and will use schools' own self evaluation as the basis for planning and conducting the inspection. Schools will report on progress to parents through the new School Profile and will be supported and challenged by School Improvement Partners in planning and taking forward their improvement priorities.
	The new system will reduce burdens on schools whilst ensuring that parents benefit from more frequent information about the quality and standard of education provided by schools.

Education White Paper

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what account she took of recent findings on the effects of increased choice in a school system on social segregation in drawing up her proposals in the recent White Paper; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: In drawing up the proposals in the recent White Paper the Secretary of State took account of the relevant issues and discussions in the current academic literature on school choice and social segregation.
	Our White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools For AllMore choice for parents and pupils outlines our proposals to extend choice and open up access to schools for more parents, underpinned by a fair admissions system. These proposals will reduce social segregation.
	There are a number of approaches that admission authorities can adopt to ensure fair access for children. Some schools use random allocation, while others use banding. The White Paper proposes making it easier to introduce pupil banding. This provides a means of ensuring that a school's intake is representative of the full ability range of either applicants for a particular school, of children in the area as a whole, or of the national ability profiledepending on the type of banding adopted.
	Furthermore, all proposals for new schools must set out their proposed admission arrangements, and indicate how these will promote community and social integration and choice. Successful schools will also be allowed to expand if they can show their admission arrangements are in line with the School Admissions code of practice, which recommends that admission arrangements should be, as far as possible, inclusive of all elements of the local community.
	We also propose to extend entitlement to free transport for disadvantaged children, so that parental choice is not restricted by concerns about the cost and availability of transport.

Employment Programmes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to how many regions the entitlement to a platform of employability skills has been extended.

Phil Hope: The second skills White Paper, Skills: Getting on in business, getting on at work, published in March 2005, reaffirmed our commitment to the Level 2 entitlement. We undertook to use the experience of the Level 2 trials in the North East and South East in 2004/05 to develop the capacity of the further education sector during 2005/06. The White Paper confirmed that we would expand the availability of fully funded first Level 2 qualifications in all regions, using 2005/06 as a transition year, so that a wide range of colleges and training providers could offer the entitlement nationally from 2006/07.
	2005/06 transition will allow FE providers time to re-shape their programmes before national roll out in 2006/07. This does not imply that some regions can opt out of the Level 2 entitlement during 2005/06. We expect that all regions will deliver an increased volume of first full level 2s in 2005/06; however, we anticipate a marked increase in the delivery and achievement of first full level2s from 2006/07.

Employment Programmes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 to 18-year-olds tookpart in the entry to employment programme in 200405; and what assessment has been made of the results.

Jacqui Smith: Entry to Employment (E2E) is the main programme for young people not yet ready to enter an apprenticeship, employment or learning opportunities directly. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) guarantees all young people for whom E2E is appropriate a place on the programme. This is in addition to the commitment that every 16 to 18-year-old can have a place in post-16 education and training.
	The LSC collects data by academic year. In 2003/04, 10,430 left E2E for employment. In 2004/05, 11,226 left E2E for employment. In 2004/05, 43 per cent. of E2E leavers went into a positive destination (jobs, further education or work based learning). This has risen from 35 per cent. in 2003/04. The number of places made available in England in 2004/05 was 49,523. Of these 47,702 were taken up based on provisional 2004/05 data.

Free School Meals

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will rank English local education authorities according to the percentage of children entitled to receive free school meals.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Maintained nursery and primary schools(18): school meal arrangements(19)January 2005Ranked by local authority in England
		
			   Number on roll Number known to be eligible for free meals % known to be eligible for free meals 
		
		
			 England(20) 4,243,110 717,230 16.9 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 22,697 12,264 54.0 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 10,069 4,488 44.6 
			 352 Manchester 40,941 18,083 44.2 
			 206 Islington 14,684 6,287 42.8 
			 202 Camden 11,576 4,816 41.6 
			 204 Hackney 18,136 7,382 40.7 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 7,321 2,962 40.5 
			 213 Westminster 11,228 4,411 39.3 
			 208 Lambeth 20,271 7,684 37.9 
			 210 Southwark 23,608 8,608 36.5 
			 316 Newham 31,519 11,192 35.5 
			 203 Greenwich 21,172 7,475 35.3 
			 309 Haringey 22,096 7,685 34.8 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 20,338 6,832 33.6 
			 341 Liverpool 39,441 13,099 33.2 
			 330 Birmingham 103,899 34,503 33.2 
			 340 Knowsley 16,088 5,100 31.7 
			 201 City of London 224 69 30.8 
			 355 Salford 19,855 6,098 30.7 
			 212 Wandsworth 17,532 5,238 29.9 
			 806 Middlesbrough 14,123 4,197 29.7 
			 304 Brent 23,004 6,778 29.5 
			 892 Nottingham 24,205 7,005 28.9 
			 209 Lewisham 22,136 6,155 27.8 
			 393 South Tyneside 13,418 3,723 27.7 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 21,475 5,875 27.4 
			 320 Waltham Forest 21,372 5,755 26.9 
			 856 Leicester 28,537 7,447 26.1 
			 344 Wirral 27,301 7,092 26.0 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 18,486 4,738 25.6 
			 308 Enfield 27,136 6,793 25.0 
			 307 Ealing 26,550 6,645 25.0 
			 810 Kingston upon Hull, City of 22,984 5,721 24.9 
			 801 Bristol, City of 31,305 7,712 24.6 
			 354 Rochdale 20,419 4,949 24.2 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 15,497 3,718 24.0 
			 821 Luton 19,165 4,470 23.3 
			 333 Sandwell 30,221 6,995 23.1 
			 353 Oldham 23,364 5,318 22.8 
			 313 Hounslow 18,856 4,248 22.5 
			 876 Halton 10,772 2,410 22.4 
			 890 Blackpool 12,124 2,709 22.3 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 13,729 3,067 22.3 
			 852 Southampton 16,381 3,634 22.2 
			 306 Croydon 30,293 6,638 21.9 
			 390 Gateshead 16,519 3,585 21.7 
			 805 Hartlepool 9,425 2,027 21.5 
			 380 Bradford 51,971 11,154 21.5 
			 336 Wolverhampton 23,567 4,903 20.8 
			 394 Sunderland 25,752 5,224 20.3 
			 331 Coventry 27,376 5,543 20.2 
			 302 Barnet 26,420 5,201 19.7 
			 840 Durham 43,124 8,369 19.4 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 14,814 2,863 19.3 
			 383 Leeds 62,581 12,075 19.3 
			 335 Walsall 27,010 5,181 19.2 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 15,625 2,976 19.0 
			 342 St. Helens 15,938 3,016 18.9 
			 831 Derby 22,362 4,182 18.7 
			 373 Sheffield 43,702 8,172 18.7 
			 841 Darlington 9,209 1,715 18.6 
			 371 Doncaster 27,796 5,176 18.6 
			 874 Peterborough 15,538 2,879 18.5 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 17,605 3,258 18.5 
			 357 Tameside 20,548 3,802 18.5 
			 921 Isle of Wight 7,183 1,324 18.4 
			 370 Barnsley 20,733 3,815 18.4 
			 879 Plymouth 19,898 3,655 18.4 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea 14,394 2,591 18.0 
			 312 Hillingdon 24,262 4,357 18.0 
			 851 Portsmouth 14,498 2,601 17.9 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 17,408 3,117 17.9 
			 880 Torbay 10,128 1,799 17.8 
			 392 North Tyneside 16,471 2,921 17.7 
			 372 Rotherham 24,457 4,298 17.6 
			 317 Redbridge 23,888 4,130 17.3 
			 871 Slough 12,054 2,065 17.1 
			 350 Bolton 25,918 4,386 16.9 
			 870 Reading 10,752 1,807 16.8 
			 384 Wakefield 29,727 4,993 16.8 
			 343 Sefton 24,060 4,028 16.7 
			 382 Kirklees 36,262 6,049 16.7 
			 310 Harrow 19,513 3,215 16.5 
			 381 Calderdale 18,979 2,996 15.8 
			 359 Wigan 26,958 4,234 15.7 
			 332 Dudley 28,835 4,336 15.0 
			 888 Lancashire 97,142 14,396 14.8 
			 883 Thurrock 13,949 2,025 14.5 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 14,058 2,019 14.4 
			 315 Merton 14,776 2,037 13.8 
			 351 Bury 16,232 2,231 13.7 
			 319 Sutton 15,200 2,060 13.6 
			 909 Cumbria 41,384 5,562 13.4 
			 926 Norfolk 66,405 8,920 13.4 
			 305 Bromley 24,108 3,164 13.1 
			 826 Milton Keynes 22,682 2,929 12.9 
			 929 Northumberland 19,806 2,539 12.8 
			 887 Medway 22,871 2,866 12.5 
			 845 East Sussex 36,982 4,627 12.5 
			 303 Bexley 20,782 2,573 12.4 
			 886 Kent 111,471 13,750 12.3 
			 830 Derbyshire 64,470 7,778 12.1 
			 311 Havering 19,800 2,384 12.0 
			 356 Stockport 24,502 2,934 12.0 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 65,460 7,761 11.9 
			 358 Trafford 19,447 2,302 11.8 
			 837 Bournemouth 10,758 1,246 11.6 
			 802 North Somerset 14,968 1,692 11.3 
			 935 Suffolk 46,494 5,193 11.2 
			 908 Cornwall 39,796 4,407 11.1 
			 875 Cheshire 55,929 6,186 11.1 
			 878 Devon 54,860 6,065 11.1 
			 866 Swindon 16,857 1,861 11.0 
			 334 Solihull 20,392 2,246 11.0 
			 881 Essex 108,687 11,788 10.8 
			 820 Bedfordshire 25,764 2,746 10.7 
			 860 Staffordshire 65,976 7,007 10.6 
			 916 Gloucestershire 44,450 4,620 10.4 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 12,301 1,254 10.2 
			 937 Warwickshire 41,992 4,279 10.2 
			 877 Warrington 17,824 1,753 9.8 
			 816 York 13,756 1,338 9.7 
			 931 Oxfordshire 47,313 4,599 9.7 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 12,755 1,236 9.7 
			 933 Somerset 37,598 3,599 9.6 
			 928 Northamptonshire 57,745 5,494 9.5 
			 893 Shropshire 22,318 2,041 9.1 
			 850 Hampshire 98,537 8,800 8.9 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 26,705 2,353 8.8 
			 885 Worcestershire 38,799 3,408 8.8 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 44,693 3,896 8.7 
			 919 Hertfordshire 94,409 8,140 8.6 
			 884 Herefordshire 13,358 1,105 8.3 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 22,703 1,814 8.0 
			 936 Surrey 79,145 6,321 8.0 
			 815 North Yorkshire 45,629 3,626 7.9 
			 865 Wiltshire 35,895 2,756 7.7 
			 855 Leicestershire 49,083 3,597 7.3 
			 869 West Berkshire 12,250 894 7.3 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 11,717 855 7.3 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 8,839 603 6.8 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 8,702 587 6.7 
			 938 West Sussex 58,821 3,436 5.8 
			 925 Lincolnshire 54,290 2,898 5.3 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 40,211 2,135 5.3 
			 835 Dorset 24,672 1,245 5.0 
			 836 Poole 10,548 502 4.8 
			 872 Wokingham 12,462 554 4.4 
			 857 Rutland 2,523 110 4.4 
			 420 Isles of Scilly 251 4 1.6 
		
	
	(18)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(19)Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.
	(20)National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained secondary schools(21): school meal arrangements(22)January 2005Ranked by local authority in England
		
			   Number on roll Number known to be eligible for free meals % known to be eligible for free meals 
		
		
			 England (23) 3,317,590 465,520 14.0 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 14,193 8,731 61.5 
			 210 Southwark 10,242 4,741 46.3 
			 206 Islington 7,972 3,425 43.0 
			 352 Manchester 23,762 10,197 42.9 
			 316 Newham 18,067 7,563 41.9 
			 204 Hackney 7,224 2,791 38.6 
			 208 Lambeth 7,907 3,030 38.3 
			 309 Haringey 11,431 4,241 37.1 
			 340 Knowsley 9,836 3,471 35.3 
			 806 Middlesbrough 5,650 1,872 33.1 
			 213 Westminster 8,564 2,808 32.8 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 7,049 2,307 32.7 
			 330 Birmingham 70,576 22,435 31.8 
			 203 Greenwich 15,171 4,766 31.4 
			 202 Camden 9,775 3,033 31.0 
			 892 Nottingham 13,830 4,201 30.4 
			 341 Liverpool 33,124 9,993 30.2 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 3,505 992 28.3 
			 209 Lewisham 11,722 3,238 27.6 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 12,293 3,301 26.9 
			 307 Ealing 15,017 4,017 26.7 
			 320 Waltham Forest 14,012 3,705 26.4 
			 393 South Tyneside 10,109 2,663 26.3 
			 380 Bradford 34,490 8,836 25.6 
			 212 Wandsworth 10,254 2,589 25.2 
			 355 Salford 12,633 3,161 25.0 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 9,540 2,358 24.7 
			 354 Rochdale 14,238 3,433 24.1 
			 810 Kingston upon Hull, City of 15,942 3,819 24.0 
			 821 Luton 12,285 2,905 23.6 
			 344 Wirral 24,365 5,697 23.4 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 17,082 3,813 22.3 
			 856 Leicester 17,883 3,972 22.2 
			 304 Brent 16,148 3,555 22.0 
			 308 Enfield 22,062 4,714 21.4 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 10,130 2,157 21.3 
			 370 Barnsley 13,655 2,812 20.6 
			 805 Hartlepool 6,524 1,322 20.3 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 14,964 3,012 20.1 
			 353 Oldham 16,739 3,343 20.0 
			 313 Hounslow 16,598 3,253 19.6 
			 876 Halton 8,150 1,589 19.5 
			 310 Harrow 9,020 1,742 19.3 
			 890 Blackpool 8,797 1,692 19.2 
			 306 Croydon 18,749 3,565 19.0 
			 333 Sandwell 19,979 3,773 18.9 
			 336 Wolverhampton 16,897 3,128 18.5 
			 801 Bristol, City of 16,236 2,882 17.8 
			 357 Tameside 15,859 2,799 17.6 
			 383 Leeds 48,090 8,453 17.6 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 11,263 1,976 17.5 
			 840 Durham 32,694 5,679 17.4 
			 312 Hillingdon 17,419 3,006 17.3 
			 390 Gateshead 11,983 2,066 17.2 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 12,747 2,185 17.1 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 10,537 1,798 17.1 
			 852 Southampton 11,972 2,032 17.0 
			 331 Coventry 21,292 3,571 16.8 
			 342 St. Helens 12,081 2,018 16.7 
			 831 Derby 15,648 2,608 16.7 
			 335 Walsall 21,349 3,552 16.6 
			 373 Sheffield 31,621 5,220 16.5 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 7,287 1,194 16.4 
			 874 Peterborough 12,918 2,116 16.4 
			 382 Kirklees 26,577 4,323 16.3 
			 315 Merton 8,540 1,377 16.1 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 12,214 1,965 16.1 
			 921 Isle of Wight 12,194 1,942 15.9 
			 350 Bolton 19,812 3,081 15.6 
			 394 Sunderland 19,546 3,038 15.5 
			 343 Sefton 20,919 3,235 15.5 
			 851 Portsmouth 9,942 1,522 15.3 
			 871 Slough 8,538 1,285 15.1 
			 317 Redbridge 20,313 3,052 15.0 
			 372 Rotherham 20,342 3,046 15.0 
			 332 Dudley 20,870 3,117 14.9 
			 841 Darlington 6,293 927 14.7 
			 302 Barnet 19,626 2,878 14.7 
			 384 Wakefield 22,362 3,262 14.6 
			 359 Wigan 21,209 3,038 14.3 
			 371 Doncaster 21,961 3,113 14.2 
			 883 Thurrock 8,749 1,189 13.6 
			 351 Bury 11,912 1,606 13.5 
			 880 Torbay 9,183 1,235 13.4 
			 381 Calderdale 15,599 2,068 13.3 
			 888 Lancashire 75,951 9,850 13.0 
			 870 Reading 6,068 769 12.7 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea 12,411 1,506 12.1 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 10,786 1,302 12.1 
			 392 North Tyneside 13,827 1,669 12.1 
			 879 Plymouth 18,922 2,237 11.8 
			 356 Stockport 16,660 1,965 11.8 
			 909 Cumbria 35,478 4,052 11.4 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 54,836 6,155 11.2 
			 845 East Sussex 28,815 3,163 11.0 
			 929 Northumberland 30,393 3,326 10.9 
			 334 Solihull 15,696 1,706 10.9 
			 358 Trafford 16,079 1,732 10.8 
			 837 Bournemouth 9,916 1,064 10.7 
			 305 Bromley 22,329 2,308 10.3 
			 826 Milton Keynes 13,117 1,343 10.2 
			 926 Norfolk 46,524 4,588 9.9 
			 908 Cornwall 33,147 3,252 9.8 
			 311 Havering 16,524 1,603 9.7 
			 830 Derbyshire 50,871 4,797 9.4 
			 820 Bedfordshire 37,784 3,494 9.2 
			 935 Suffolk 54,317 4,884 9.0 
			 303 Bexley 18,288 1,636 8.9 
			 875 Cheshire 47,405 4,233 8.9 
			 886 Kent 98,921 8,739 8.8 
			 887 Medway 20,726 1,800 8.7 
			 881 Essex 90,909 7,772 8.5 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 9,592 800 8.3 
			 866 Swindon 11,477 952 8.3 
			 885 Worcestershire 41,201 3,403 8.3 
			 878 Devon 42,228 3,485 8.3 
			 877 Warrington 14,086 1,162 8.2 
			 860 Staffordshire 61,382 4,993 8.1 
			 931 Oxfordshire 37,940 3,050 8.0 
			 319 Sutton 15,967 1,276 8.0 
			 933 Somerset 33,282 2,657 8.0 
			 802 North Somerset 12,940 1,004 7.8 
			 884 Herefordshire 10,502 807 7.7 
			 816 York 10,330 787 7.6 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 32,627 2,400 7.4 
			 937 Warwickshire 34,293 2,464 7.2 
			 928 Northamptonshire 45,553 3,270 7.2 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 23,581 1,654 7.0 
			 916 Gloucestershire 40,592 2,810 6.9 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 16,986 1,163 6.8 
			 850 Hampshire 72,649 4,942 6.8 
			 925 Lincolnshire 47,898 3,258 6.8 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 12,583 849 6.7 
			 919 Hertfordshire 79,638 5,344 6.7 
			 893 Shropshire 18,191 1,218 6.7 
			 938 West Sussex 45,804 2,833 6.2 
			 835 Dorset 30,646 1,836 6.0 
			 815 North Yorkshire 42,078 2,487 5.9 
			 855 Leicestershire 46,994 2,773 5.9 
			 936 Surrey 59,381 3,446 5.8 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 34,817 2,008 5.8 
			 865 Wiltshire 29,187 1,657 5.7 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 6,105 336 5.5 
			 836 Poole 8,559 466 5.4 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 10,481 568 5.4 
			 869 West Berkshire 12,222 601 4.9 
			 872 Wokingham 10,886 529 4.9 
			 857 Rutland 2,357 75 3.2 
			 201 City of London (24) (24) (24) 
			 420 Isles of Scilly (24) (24) (24) 
		
	
	(21)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(22)Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.
	(23)National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.
	(24)Not applicable. No schools of this type
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Free School Meals

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average percentage of statutory school age children entitled to free school meals was in (a) London and (b) England in (i) grammar schools, (ii) local authority maintained schools, (iii) denominational schools and (iv) other schools excluding special schools in 200405.

Jacqui Smith: The available information is shown in the tables.
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies: number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(25)January 2005, London Government Office Region and England
		
			  Pupils of compulsory school age(26) 
			  London England 
			  Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 Maintained primary(27) 485,710 140,560 28.9 3,396,460 610,020 18.0 
			 Maintained secondary(27) 365,800 94,760 25.9 2,967,980 446,300 15.0 
			 Of which:   
			 Grammar 14,170 310 2.2 111,780 2,620 2.3 
			 City Technology Colleges 3,880 750 19.4 12,400 1,670 13.5 
			 Academies 6,700 2,900 43.3 13,360 5,360 40.1 
		
	
	(25)Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.
	(26)Pupils aged 5 to 15 as at 31 August 2004.
	(27)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	Notes:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools(28): number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals(29)January 2005, London Government Office Region and England
		
			  Pupils of compulsory school age(30) 
			  London 
			  Maintained primary Maintained secondary 
			  Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 No Religious Character 375,010 119,210 31.8 287,630 80,050 27.8 
			 Church of England 48,210 10,460 21.7 20,800 4,690 22.6 
			 Roman Catholic 57,610 10,600 18.4 52,340 9,560 18.3 
			 Methodist 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 Other Christian Faith(31) 0 0 0.0 1,550 140 9.2 
			 Jewish 4,080 130 3.1 2,830 200 7.2 
			 Muslim 470 140 28.8 0 0 0.0 
			 Sikh 180 20 9.3 360 40 10.8 
			 Other 160 20 9.8 290 70 23.2 
			 All schools 485,710 140,560 28.9 365,800 94,760 25.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupils of compulsory school age(30) 
			  England 
			  Maintained primary Maintained secondary 
			  Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number on roll Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 No Religious Character 2,401,720 483,460 20.1 2,510,510 385,800 15.4 
			 Church of England 647,320 73,230 11.3 148,550 17,270 11.6 
			 Roman Catholic 327,690 51,270 15.6 281,300 41,140 14.6 
			 Methodist 3,770 570 15.2 0 0 0.0 
			 Other Christian Faith(31) 8,140 1,040 12.7 22,070 1,490 6.8 
			 Jewish 6,810 210 3.1 4,200 250 5.9 
			 Muslim 670 210 31.5 700 240 34.1 
			 Sikh 180 20 9.3 360 40 10.8 
			 Other 160 20 9.8 290 70 23.2 
			 All schools 3,396,460 610,020 18.0 2,967,980 446,300 15.0 
		
	
	(28)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(29)Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.
	(30)Pupils aged 5 to 15 as at 31 August 2004.
	(31)Includes schools of mixed denomination or other Christian beliefs.
	Note:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Free School Meals

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schoolchildren in (a) Ribble Valley and (b) Lancashire are eligible for free school meals; and what the take-up has been in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools(32): School meal arrangements(33)position in January each year: 1997 to 2005Ribble Valley parliamentary constituency
		
			  Maintained nursery and primary 
			  Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(34) Percentage taking free school meals(34) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 1997 8,126 460 5.7 605 7.4 
			 1998 8,406 466 5.5 593 7.1 
			 1999 8,580 441 5.1 593 6.9 
			 2000 8,541 357 4.2 447 5.2 
			 2001 8,467 344 4.1 423 5.0 
			 2002 8,716 326 3.7 402 4.6 
			 2003 8,581 313 3.6 363 4.2 
			 2004 8,587 316 3.7 405 4.7 
			 2005 8,524 292 3.4 356 4.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained secondary 
			  Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(34) Percentage taking free school meals(34) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 1997 7,681 778 10.1 1,029 13.4 
			 1998 7,813 717 9.2 1,011 12.9 
			 1999 7,982 779 9.8 1,001 12.5 
			 2000 8,160 742 9.1 903 11.1 
			 2001 8,348 697 8.3 840 10.1 
			 2002 8,463 678 8.0 821 9.7 
			 2003 8,610 677 7.9 758 8.8 
			 2004 8,749 661 7.6 752 8.6 
			 2005 8,819 583 6.6 688 7.8 
		
	
	(32)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(33)Prior to 2003 'Number on roll' includes all full and part time pupils who are solely registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils from 2003.
	(34)Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on the day of the census in January.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools(35): School meal arrangements(36)position in January each year: 1997 to 2005Lancashire local authority
		
			  Maintained nursery and primary 
			  Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(37) Percentage taking free school meals(37) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 1997(38) 138,611 24,728 17.8 31,804 22.9 
			 1998(38) 138,441 23,901 17.3 30,805 22.3 
			 1999 108,733 16,093 14.8 20,995 19.3 
			 2000 106,522 14,586 13.7 18,339 17.2 
			 2001 105,137 13,526 12.9 16,966 16.1 
			 2002 103,296 13,243 12.8 16,218 15.7 
			 2003 101,077 13,172 13.0 15,578 15.4 
			 2004 99,100 12,854 13.0 15,545 15.7 
			 2005 97,142 11,979 12.3 14,396 14.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained secondary 
			  Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(37) Percentage taking free school meals(37) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 1997(38) 87,257 11,777 13.5 17,675 20.3 
			 1998(38) 88,228 11,619 13.2 17,166 19.5 
			 1999 72,793 8,943 12.3 12,572 17.3 
			 2000 74,219 9,431 12.7 11,642 15.7 
			 2001 74,814 8,941 12.0 11,182 14.9 
			 2002 75,387 8,762 11.6 10,921 14.5 
			 2003 76,412 8,819 11.5 10,749 14.1 
			 2004 76,694 8,979 11.7 10,596 13.8 
			 2005 75,951 8,323 11.0 9,850 13.0 
		
	
	(35)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(36)Prior to 2003 'Number on roll' includes all full and part time pupils who are solely registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils from 2003.
	(37)Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on the day of the census in January.
	(38)Before local government reorganisation.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Free School Meals

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schoolchildren received free school meals in (a) Kettering constituency, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 8 November 2005
	The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools (39): School meal arrangements (40)position in January each year: 1997 to 2005
		
			  Kettering parliamentary constituency 
			  Maintained nursery and primary Maintained secondary 
			  Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(41) % taking free school meals(41) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals % known to be eligible for free school meals Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(41) % taking free school meals(41) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals % known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 1997 9,442 517 5.5 707 7.5 8,315 521 6.3 695 8.4 
			 1998 9,613 550 5.7 691 7.2 8,427 480 5.7 665 7.9 
			 1999 9,771 514 5.3 673 6.9 8,543 468 5.5 735 8.6 
			 2000 9,844 491 5.0 730 7.4 8,944 500 5.6 687 7.7 
			 2001 9,928 464 4.7 675 6.8 9,348 466 5.0 584 6.2 
			 2002 9,931 505 5.1 706 7.1 9,057 374 4.1 495 5.5 
			 2003 9,862 481 4.9 672 6.8 9,347 369 3.9 460 4.9 
			 2004 9,858 425 4.3 651 6.6 9,506 392 4.1 515 5.4 
			 2005 9,713 428 4.4 593 6.1 9,532 359 3.8 498 5.2 
		
	
	(39)Includes middle schools as deemed
	(40)Prior to 2003 'Number on roll' includes all full and part time pupils who are solely registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils from 2003.
	(41)Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on the day of the Census in January.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools (42): school meal arrangements (43)position in January each year: 1997 to 2005
		
			  Northamptonshire local authority 
			  Maintained nursery and primary Maintained secondary 
			  Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(44) % taking free school meals(44) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals % known to be eligible for free school meals Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(44) % taking free school meals(44) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals % known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 1997 55,411 4,952 8.9 6,404 11.6 45,934 4,637 10.1 6,294 13.7 
			 1998 55,721 4,666 8.4 5,955 10.7 46,405 4,392 9.5 5,952 12.8 
			 1999 55,733 4,352 7.8 5,761 10.3 47,038 4,351 9.2 5,901 12.5 
			 2000 55,517 4,213 7.6 5,936 10.7 48,020 4,004 8.3 5,630 11.7 
			 2001 55,038 4,052 7.4 5,460 9.9 49,192 3,698 7.5 5,285 10.7 
			 2002 54,867 4,026 7.3 5,406 9.9 49,702 3,666 7.4 5,003 10.1 
			 2003 54,794 3,597 6.6 4,994 9.1 50,704 3,710 7.3 4,952 9.8 
			 2004 57,741 4,083 7.1 5,501 9.5 47,413 3,055 6.4 4,113 8.7 
			 2005 57,745 3,907 6.8 5,494 9.5 45,553 2,512 5.5 3,270 7.2 
		
	
	(42)Includes middle schools as deemed
	(43)Prior to 2003 'Number on roll' includes all full and part time pupils who are solely registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils from 2003.
	(44)Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on the day of the Census in January.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools (45): School meal arrangements (46)position in January each year: 1997 to 2005
		
			  England 
			  Maintained nursery and primary Maintained secondary 
			  Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(47) % taking free school meals(47) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals % known to be eligible for free school meals Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(47) % taking free school meals(47) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals % known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 1997 4,479,450 775,740 17.3 944,590 21.1 3,036,990 381,240 12.6 552,900 18.2 
			 1998 4,508,920 731,580 16.2 891,050 19.8 3,069,030 367,800 12.0 537,070 17.5 
			 1999 4,507,660 690,320 15.3 853,020 18.9 3,118,280 367,800 11.8 527,340 16.9 
			 2000 4,481,680 671,490 15.0 821,520 18.3 3,178,000 368,300 11.6 523,630 16.5 
			 2001 4,451,220 631,640 14.2 783,510 17.6 3,226,970 353,470 11.0 509,680 15.8 
			 2002 4,405,640 616,630 14.0 754,510 17.1 3,260,930 354,260 10.9 486,350 14.9 
			 2003 4,350,260 604,910 13.9 731,610 16.8 3,308,490 349,780 10.6 478,920 14.5 
			 2004 4,293,180 608,760 14.2 741,150 17.3 3,326,800 351,380 10.6 477,290 14.3 
			 2005 4,243,110 568,350 13.4 717,230 16.9 3,317,590 335,140 10.1 465,520 14.0 
		
	
	(45)Includes middle schools as deemed
	(46)Prior to 2003 'Number on roll' includes all full and part-time pupils who are solely registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils from 2003.
	(47)Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on the day of the Census in January. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Gershon Review

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what she has assessed as being the 10 most successful ways in which individual schools are making efficiency savings as part of the Gershon review; and how much each measure is expected to save.

Bill Rammell: We expect schools will make efficiency gains in a number of ways. Those will depend on decisions made at school level, but are likely to include improved procurement, more effective use of staff, improved financial management, improved use of ICT, reduced bureaucracy through the New Relationship with Schools and more efficient exams procedures. The amounts realised in each way will depend on schools' own decisions.
	The Department is currently considering the best way of disseminating best practice in schools to the wider schools sector.

Holland Park Secondary School

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans there are to support Holland Park Secondary School through the Building Schools for the Future initiative.

Jacqui Smith: Building Schools for the Future is our long-term programme to provide 21st-century facilities for all secondary pupils. We aim to do this in 15 waves of investment from 200506, subject to future public spending decisions. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has submitted an expression of interest for its schools, including Holland Park School. We have indicated to the authority that it may join the programme in waves 4 to 6, which we hope to announce in 2007 after the next spending review.

Home-educated Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1179W, what notification arrangements are in place between local authorities when the parents of a home-educated child move from a local education authority which is aware that a child is being home-educated.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 8 November 2005
	We expect local authorities to have protocols for transferring information about home educated children who move to another authority, where the local authority is aware that home education is taking place. These protocols should be similar to those covering the transfer of information about children who are on the roll of a maintained school.

Home-educated Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 2 November to Question 23237, what consideration she has given to the introduction of a legal requirement for parents or carers to notify their local authority of a decision to home educate.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 8 November 2005
	We have no plans to introduce a legal requirement for parents or carers to notify their local authority of a decision to home educate. However, we recommend that parents home educating their children inform their local authority. This will assist local authorities in targeting their resources as efficiently as possible in identifying children missing education.

Juvenile Learning and Skills

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on roll out of the pilot of the new means of service delivery for juvenile learning and skills.

Phil Hope: New arrangements for delivering learning and skills to offenders were introduced in three development regions, the South West, North West and North East, from 1 August 2005. The new offenders' learning and skills service covers juvenile offenders held in Young Offender Institutions. Action research is being carried out on the new service in order to inform the planned roll-out of the new service across the rest of England from August 2006.
	The new arrangements emphasise early, intense focus on assessing the offender learner's needs, formulating them into an individual learning plan and addressing those needs in a joined-up way as the offender moves through the criminal justice system and into mainstream learning and skills. A new curriculum for offender learners is described in the Offender's Learning Journey, of which there are separate adult and juvenile versions. (See http://www.dfes.gov.uk/offenderlearning/uploads/docs/05%200111% 20Juvenile%20OLJ%20v0.4.doc) This more integrated service is particularly important for juvenile offenders, many of whom will continue their education on release.
	The new service is planned and funded by the Learning and Skills Council, working in close collaboration with the National Offender Management Service and, in the case of juvenile offenders, with the Youth Justice Board. These close working arrangements will ensure the learning and skills service commissioned meets the needs of the learners and, for those of working age, the needs of employers in the areas within which they will be resettled.

Learning and Skills Council

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the restructuring of the Learning and Skills Council.

Bill Rammell: This week the LSC announced more details of its restructuring exercise which will make it a smaller, more dynamic and more customer-focused organisation. This will build upon its existing strengths; further develop its relationships with providers and with its partners, and help push the highest proportion of its funding out through colleges and providers into front line delivery. At local level, the LSC will develop small teams of professional staff who will support the delivery of its priority objectives through strategic relationships with colleges, providers and other key stakeholders and so ensure that the needs of local employers and learners are met.
	The LSC are consulting fully with staff and Trades Unions, in line with best industrial relations practice. Redundancy will be offered on a voluntary basis where possible. Where this is not possible, redeployment opportunities should be investigated fully, consistent with Cabinet Office guidelines.
	The effects on organisation and staffing are matters for the LSC. I have therefore asked Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, to write to the hon. Lady with further information. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Modern Apprenticeships

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of young people started a modern apprenticeship by the age of 22 years in 2004/05; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Learning providers have until the end of November 2005 to register new apprenticeship starts for the 2004/05 academic year with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). As in previous years this is to take account of delays in reporting starts to the council. We will then make an assessment of the percentage of young people entering an apprenticeship by age 22, and make a statement.

Nursery Places

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Cleethorpes constituency attended nursery in each of the past 10 years; and how many have taken up free nursery places since the policy was introduced.

Beverley Hughes: All four-year-olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998 and from April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three-year-olds. The free entitlement consists of a minimum of five two and a half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year for six terms before statutory school age, which is the term following their fifth birthday.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised child care places but this information is not collected centrally.
	Figures for January 2005 show that all four-year-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three-years-olds is 96 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents 535,100 three-year-olds and 568,300 four-year-olds.
	The available information on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-olds in Cleethorpes parliamentary constituency area and North East Lincolnshire local authority is shown in the tables.
	For 2005, information for private and voluntary providers is available for North East Lincolnshire but not currently available for Cleethorpes constituency.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 43/2005 Provision for children under five years of age in EnglandJanuary 2005 (final) in September, which is available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/
	
		Number of free nursery education places(48) taken up by three and four-year-olds. Local authority North East Lincolnshire -- Position in January each year
		
			  Three-year-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(49) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total three-year-olds 
		
		
			 1997 920 n/a 920 
			 1998 980 n/a 980 
			 1999 1,000 n/a 1,000 
			 2000 1,000 (52)520 1,500 
			 2001 930 (52)550 1,500 
			 2002 940 (52)620 1,600 
			 2003 990 (52)690 1,700 
			 2004 870 (54)730 1,600 
			 2005 900 (54)650 1,500 
		
	
	
		Position in January each year
		
			  Four-year-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(50) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total four-year-olds 
		
		
			 1997 n/a n/a (51)2,100 
			 1998 n/a n/a (51)2,000 
			 1999 n/a n/a (51)2,000 
			 2000 n/a n/a (51)2,000 
			 2001 n/a n/a (51)1,900 
			 2002 1,700 (51)230 1,900 
			 2003 1,600 (53)240 1,900 
			 2004 1,700 (55)240 1,900 
			 2005 1,500 (55)220 1,700 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(48)Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(49)Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(50)Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(51)Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(52)Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(53)Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(54)Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(55)Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	
		Number of free nursery education places(56) taken up by three and four-year-olds. Parliamentary constituency Cleethorpes -- Position in January each year
		
			  Three-year-olds Four-year-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(57) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Maintained nursery and primary schools(58) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers 
		
		
			 2004 310 500 900 150 
			 2005 320 n/a 820 n/a 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(56)Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(57)Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(58)Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	Changes in pupil figures may arise from changes to the underlying population in the local authority area and other factors. However, my Department does not publish population figures for individual age cohorts at sub-national level because of the unreliability of the underlying population estimates. The Office for National Statistics publish sub-national population estimates in five-year age bands.

Part-time Students

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures her Department is taking to increase numbers of part-time students.

Bill Rammell: This Government were the first to introduce statutory support for students studying on a part-time basis. We are determined to see the vibrant part-time sector sustained. To this end we recently announced an improved package of support for part-time students in 2006/07 that seeks to ensure access for those on lower incomes so that the part-time sector can continue this strong performance. The new package raises the maximum level of grant for fees by 27 per cent. from 885 to 1,125, while maintaining the course grant at 250. Furthermore, resource from the Access to Learning Fund will increase from 3 million to 12 million to provide still greater additional fee support and general hardship support for students in the most challenging financial circumstances.
	We have also recently announced, in connection with the Higher Education Funding Council for England, an additional 40 million in institutional funding in 2006/07 to encourage participation and improve provision for part-time students from the most under-represented groups.

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is her Department's policy to move away from a knowledge-based culture in science education as set out on page 36 of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's document Futures: Meeting the Challenge.

Jacqui Smith: The KS4 science programme of study for 2006 developed with input from the scientific community is based on the science process (how science works) but the amount of factual knowledge defined in the breadth of study section is only slightly less than at present which allows for the development of skills and understanding. The new programme of study moves away from a predominantly knowledge-based approach to one in which the balance between knowledge and process is more even. Skills, knowledge and understanding of the science process (how science works) usually become meaningful only when they are set in the context of (factual knowledge) about science.

School Exclusions

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have been excluded permanently from schools in Suffolk in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary, secondary and all special schools: number of permanent exclusions, Suffolk local authority
		
			  Primary(59) Secondary(59) Special(60) Total(61) 
			  Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population(62) Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population(62) Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population(62) Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population(62) 
		
		
			 1996/97 13 0.03 98 0.20 5 0.59 120 0.12 
			 1997/98 13 0.03 104 0.21 12 1.38 130 0.13 
			 1998/99 18 0.04 106 0.21 0 0.00 120 0.12 
			 1999/2000 23 0.05 77 0.15 0 0.00 100 0.10 
			 2000/01(63) 13 0.03 133 0.25 (64) (64) 150 0.14 
			 2001/02(63) 26 0.05 135 0.25 0 0.00 160 0.16 
			 2002/03(63) 22 0.05 126 0.23 (64) (64) 150 0.15 
			 2003/04(63) 32 0.07 161 0.30 (64) (64) 200 0.19 
		
	
	(59)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(60)Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	(61)Totals across school types have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	(62)The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of all pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) in January each year.
	(63)From 2000/01 some schools are known to have under reported the number of permanent exclusions in their Annual Schools' Census return, so the Department carried out a separate data checking exercise at local authority level.
	(64)Less than 3, or a rate based on less than 3
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

School Meals

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school children in Cleethorpes constituency receive free school meals, broken down by school.

Jacqui Smith: The data requested are shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools(65): school meal arrangements(66) January 2005Cleethorpes parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES Establishment Number School name Number on roll Number of pupils taking free school meals(67) Percentage of pupils taking free school meals(67) Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 812 2000 Allerton Primary School 293 28 9.6 41 14.0 
			 812 2109 William Bancroft Junior School 283 53 18.7 69 24.4 
			 812 2112 Elliston Infants' School 212 39 18.4 53 25.0 
			 812 2113 Queen Mary Avenue Infant School 318 67 21.1 77 24.2 
			 812 2114 Reynolds Junior School 191 19 9.9 30 15.7 
			 813 2116 East Halton Primary School 54 (68) (68) 3 5.6 
			 813 2118 Goxhill Primary School 244 15 6.1 15 6.1 
			 812 2124 New Waltham Primary School 272 (68) (68) 6 2.2 
			 813 2125 Killingholme Primary School 125 17 13.6 18 14.4 
			 812 2142 Thrunscoe Infants' School 129 19 14.7 23 17.8 
			 812 2145 Enfield (New Waltham) Primary School 140 (68) (68) 4 2.9 
			 812 2151 The Leas Junior School 319 6 1.9 10 3.1 
			 812 2153 Thrunscoe Junior School 159 20 12.6 36 22.6 
			 812 2154 Healing Primary School 310 6 1.9 6 1.9 
			 812 2175 Signhills Infants' School 242 5 2.1 5 2.1 
			 812 2176 Signhills Junior School 348 16 4.6 17 4.9 
			 812 2178 Eastfield Junior School 165 25 15.2 35 21.2 
			 812 2179 Eastfield Infants' School 172 18 10.5 29 16.9 
			 812 2181 The Leas Infants' School 196 8 4.1 8 4.1 
			 812 2182 Middlethorpe Primary School 246 5 2.0 16 6.5 
			 812 2183 Reynolds Infants' School 215 12 5.6 13 6.0 
			 812 2184 Elliston Junior School 240 44 18.3 64 26.7 
			 813 2568 Bowmandale Primary School 299 27 9.0 27 9.0 
			 812 2877 Coomb Briggs Primary School 180 5 2.8 8 4.4 
			 812 2939 Humberston Cloverfields Primary School 289 5 1.7 6 2.1 
			 813 2940 Castledyke Primary School 310 63 20.3 84 27.1 
			 812 2943 Bursar Primary School 198 27 13.6 47 23.7 
			 813 3056 John Harrison CofE Primary School 191 9 4.7 10 5.2 
			 813 3057 Barton St. Peter's CofE Primary School 272 37 13.6 43 15.8 
			 812 3059 St. Peter's CofE Primary School 185 36 19.5 68 36.8 
			 812 3060 East Ravendale CofE Primary School 105 4 3.8 5 4.8 
			 812 3065 The Humberston CofE Primary School 303 (68) (68) 8 2.6 
			 813 3067 Kirmington CofE Primary School 30 (68) (68) 4 13.3 
			 812 3068 Stanford Junior and Infant School 229 5 2.2 9 3.9 
			 812 3072 Stallingborough CofE Primary School 87 3 3.4 3 3.4 
			 813 3078 New Holland Church of England and Methodist Primary School 78 9 11.5 9 11.5 
			 813 3079 Ulceby St Nicholas Church of England Primary School 152 4 2.6 6 3.9 
			 813 3322 Wootton St. Andrew's CofE Primary School 51 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 812 3514 St. Joseph's RC Primary School 160 14 8.8 18 11.3 
			 812 3516 The Canon Peter Hall CofE Primary School 227 63 27.8 70 30.8 
			 812 4073 The Immingham School 867 87 10.0 158 18.2 
			 812 4078 Tollbar Business and Enterprise College 1,929 73 3.8 90 4.7 
			 812 4084 Healing School, A Specialist Science College 762 31 4.1 33 4.3 
			 812 4086 The Lindsey School and Community Arts College 1,395 85 6.1 169 12.1 
			 812 4092 Humberston Comprehensive School 715 21 2.9 36 5.0 
			 813 4491 Baysgarth School 1,012 112 11.1 131 12.9 
			 812 4503 Matthew Humberstone Church of England School 1,382 236 17.1 279 20.2 
		
	
	(65)Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(66)Includes dually registered and boarding pupils.
	(67)Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on 20 January 2005.
	(68)Less than 3 or a rate based on less than 3.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

School Meals

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school children in (a) North East Lincolnshire and (b) North Lincolnshire are eligible for free school meals; and what the take-up rate has been in each of the past five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools(69): school meal arrangements(70) North East Lincolnshire local authority
		
			  Maintained nursery and primary 
			 Position in January each year: 2001 to 2005 Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals (71) Percentage taking free school meals (71) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 2001 16,161 3,039 18.8 3,811 23.6 
			 2002 15,980 2,514 15.7 3,562 22.3 
			 2003 15,657 2,476 15.8 3,349 21.4 
			 2004 15,160 2,227 14.7 3,244 21.4 
			 2005 14,814 2,102 14.2 2,863 19.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained secondary 
			 Position in January each year: 2001 to 2005 Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(71) Percentage taking free school meals(71) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 2001 11,735 1,649 14.1 2,421 20.6 
			 2002 11,841 1,574 13.3 2,291 19.3 
			 2003 11,826 1,633 13.8 2,222 18.8 
			 2004 11,731 1,456 12.4 2,134 18.2 
			 2005 11,263 1,310 11.6 1,976 17.5 
		
	
	(69)Includes middle schools as deemed
	(70)Prior to 2003 'Number on roll' includes all full and part-time pupils who are solely registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils from 2003.
	(71)Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on the day of the Census in January.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		
			  Maintained nursery and primary 
			 Position in January each year: 2001 to 2005 Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals (74) Percentage taking free school meals (74) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 2001 14,706 1,979 13.5 2,255 15.3 
			 2002 14,570 1,756 12.1 2,075 14.2 
			 2003 14,378 1,781 12.4 2,026 14.1 
			 2004 14,117 1,708 12.1 2,086 14.8 
			 2005 14,058 1,601 11.4 2,019 14.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained secondary 
			  Number on roll Pupils taking free school meals(74) Percentage taking free school meals(74) Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
		
		
			 2001 10,649 954 9.0 1,435 13.5 
			 2002 10,671 1,007 9.4 1,361 12.8 
			 2003 10,815 1,109 10.3 1,335 12.3 
			 2004 10,922 1,083 9.9 1,367 12.5 
			 2005 10,786 916 8.5 1,302 12.1 
		
	
	(72)Includes middle schools as deemed
	(73)Prior to 2003 'Number on roll' includes all full and part-time pupils who are solely registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils from 2003.
	(74)Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on the day of the Census in January.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Schools

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils attend each (a) primary and (b) secondary school in (i) Ribble Valley and (ii) Lancashire.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Schools

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on counselling services in schools in (a) Hemel Hempstead constituency and (b) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Schools

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which schools in the Putney constituency are included in the Building Schools for the Future Programme; which wave of the programme each school will be in; what the agreed funding is for each school; and what stage each project already under way has reached.

Jacqui Smith: Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is our long-term programme to provide 21st-century facilities to all secondary pupils. We aim to do this in 15 waves of investment from 200506, subject to future public spending decisions. All schools in Putney serving secondary-age pupils will be eligible for investment, as part of the London borough of Wandsworth's single BSF project. We have indicated to Wandsworth that its project may start in waves 4 to 6, which we hope to announce in 2007 after the next spending review. The funding and time scales for individual schools will not be agreed until after the project has started.

Science Teaching

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish the syllabus used for the Twentieth Century Science and Science for the Citizen pilots.

Jacqui Smith: A copy of the Twenty-First Century Science pilot specification is available on request from OCR, 9 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1PB. This pilot has informed the development of OCR's GCSE Science Suite A, which is available on OCR's website. A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library. The term science for the citizen refers to the approach taken through the new specifications and examinations to develop scientific literacy and does not refer to a particular qualification or pilot.

Sure Start

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have benefited from the Sure Start scheme in Morley and Rothwell constituency; and what plans she has to extend such schemes in the constituency.

Beverley Hughes: There are currently no Sure Start local programmes in Morley and Rothwell. From March 2006 a designated Sure Start Children's Centre will be based at the Seven Hills Primary School and Queen St. Early Years Centre. It will provide services to children and families in the area and is expected to work with around 1,100 children aged under 5 and their families. It will also provide 50 additional full day care places.
	Leeds city council is currently consulting key stakeholders as part of the process of planning for further possible children's centres in the second phase of their development from 200608.

Under-achievement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received on tackling the impact of socio-economic status upon educational performance.

Beverley Hughes: The Secretary of State regularly meets individuals and representatives of organisations throughout the education system who share the priorities she set out in her speech to IPPR on 26 July 2005. This detailed the Government's commitment to maintaining a genuinely comprehensive education systema system that meets the needs of all children, whatever their backgrounds, their preferences or their ability.
	The White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schoolsfor All sets out our proposals for ensuring that a good education is available to every child in every community. We look forward to continued representations on how these proposals can improve social mobility as we discuss the White Paper and when we introduce the associated legislation.

Under-achievement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the provision of extended schooling upon under achievement by children from low socio-economic backgrounds;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the capacity of schools to provide extended schooling;
	(3)  what steps are being taken by her Department to improve the (a) availability and (b) accessibility of extra-curricular activities, including sports for children from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Beverley Hughes: Since 2002 my Department has supported three evaluations of extended schools. The reports of these evaluations have shown that it is likely that extended services accessed through schools generate a range of educational benefits for pupils, families and communities in disadvantaged areas. These include: raised pupil attainment; improved pupil attendance, behaviour and attitudes towards learning; and increased parental involvement in their children's education. Access to extended services at or through schools can reduce barriers to learning through multi-agency working to support vulnerable children and families, help develop learning cultures in deprived communities, and support non-working parents back into work, so reducing child poverty.
	The latest of these reports, of the first year of the evaluation of full service extended schools, was published on 29 September 2005. The evaluation involved schools in areas of disadvantage and shows that there is considerable anecdotal evidence of positive outcomes from extended services accessed through schools. Although this does not yet amount to robust evidence of effectiveness it suggests that there will be longer term and wide-ranging outcome for pupils and families from low socio-economic backgrounds. Furthermore, the schools involved in the evaluation said that the extended schools initiative allowed them to address issues previously beyond their reach, such as drug problems and malnutrition, but which affect their pupils' achievement and other outcomes. This evaluation will continue until 2007 by which time we hope to have more substantial evidence on impacts.
	We know, through a base line survey of extended services in schools published in September 2005, that the vast majority of schools, 95 per cent. of secondary and 87 per cent. of primary schools, are already offering after schools activities or childcare. The extended schools agenda is not about increasing the workload of existing school staff or schools providing all these services directly themselves on the school site. The evaluation of extended schools has shown that when managed properly the provision of extended services could free heads and teachers to concentrate on their core business. Schools are being encouraged to work with existing providers from both the private and voluntary sectors, other children's services and other nearby schools to deliver extended services and to make good use of their expertise and skills.
	A package of support is in place to support schools develop extended services. We have made available 680 million over the period 200608 to local authorities and schools. This is additional to the 160 million we have provided to date. This funding can be used flexibly by local authorities and schools to help overcome barriers to developing extended services. The National Remodelling Team has been appointed to work with local authorities and schools to help them develop extended services and in a way that is consistent with school workforce reform.
	By 2010 we want all schools to provide a varied range of study support activities with half of all primary schools and a third of all secondary schools doing so by 2008. Funding for a school's or local authority's study support (out of school hours learning) programme is available through their base budgets, and the School Development Grant. Furthermore, the recently published White Paper: Higher Standards, Better Schools for All, announced that 335 million has been earmarked for 200708 to support the personalised learning agenda, of which study support will form an intrinsic part. Helping children from deprived families is a priority for this funding.
	The Government are also implementing the national school sport strategy. The strategy is delivering an ambitious public service agreement target to increase the percentage of 516 year olds who spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006 and then 85 per cent. by 2008. The long-term ambition, by 2010, is to offer all children at least four hours of sport every week. This will comprise at least two hours of PE and sport at school and at least an additional 23 hours of sport beyond the school day (delivered by a range of school, community and club providers). In the five years to 2008 over 1.5 billion is being invested to implement the strategy. The 2004/05 school sport survey results found that overall, 69 per cent. of pupils were participating in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport a week. The results were published on 2 September 2005 and copies have been placed in the House Libraries.

Under-achievement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken by her Department to improve the home literacy environment for children from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Jacqui Smith: With Government funding, Bookstart is now extending to reach all children in England at six to nine months with a baby bag, at 18 to 24 months with a toddler bag, and at three years old with the 'My Bookstart Treasure Chest'. The objective is to encourage parents to read with their children. The scheme promotes the important role libraries play in supporting children's early learning. In addition the Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy programme enables parents and their children to improve their literacy, language and numeracy skills together. It is funded by the Learning and Skills Council and delivered locally mainly in schools and is focused on the most deprived LEAs in England to help parents and children from low socio-economic backgrounds.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Alan John Davies

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the detention of Alan John Davies in a Thai jail.

Ian Pearson: We are currently supporting Mr. Davies'; second Royal Pardon Petition. The outcome of clemency pleas is unpredictable. The Thai authorities have assured our embassy in Bangkok that the petition will be considered as quickly as possible. Our staff in Thailand continue to raise Mr. Davies'; case with the Thai authorities at every appropriate opportunity, and visit him regularly to monitor his welfare.

British Nationals (Death Sentences)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nationals have been convicted and sentenced to death for drug smuggling in (a) Thailand and (b) Singapore in the last five years.

Kim Howells: In the last five years, two British nationals have been convicted and sentenced to death for drug smuggling in Thailand. There have been none in Singapore.

Burma

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on bilateral relations with Burma.

Ian Pearson: We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Burma.
	We regularly raise our concerns with the Burmese authorities. On 26 October, our ambassador in Rangoon drew the attention of the Burmese Home Minister, Colonel Tin Hlaing, to the concerns of both Houses over the situation in Burma and raised human rights again with the Burmese Ministers for Labour and Foreign Affairs on 31 October.
	We continue to believe that it is essential for the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to enter into a constructive dialogue with all legitimate representative bodies, including Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, and the ethnic groups to promote national reconciliation.
	Human rights violations have been highlighted by successive highly critical UK co-sponsored UN Resolutions on Burma, most recently at the UN Commission on Human Rights in April. These issues remain a focus for the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Professor Sergio Pinheiro, and the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, whom we urge the SPDC to allow to return to Burma.

Congestion Charge

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to advise diplomatic missions to the UK that the congestion charge does not constitute a form of direct taxation under the Vienna Convention.

Jack Straw: We informed all missions by Note Verbale in March 2002 of our sustained view that there were no legal grounds to exempt diplomatic missions from payment of the congestion charge. Since then, in formal and informal exchanges, we have informed missions of our view that the congestion charge does not constitute a form of direct taxation under the Vienna Convention, but is a charge analogous to a motorway toll, and that they are expected to pay.

ECOWAS

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) transparency and (c) accountability of ECOWAS.

Ian Pearson: The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has shown good leadership on governance and security issues in recent years, evidenced by successful interventions in Guinea Bissau and Togo in 2005. ECOWAS is also making progress in trade related areas, particularly on establishing a common external tariff.
	But the institution remains weak, particularly in its financial management and administrative systems. The UK is working with international partners to strengthen the ECOWAS Secretariat, and is providing technical and financial assistance to improve budgetary planning and management. A UK military liaison officer has also been seconded to assist with development of ECOWAS conflict management capability.

Embassy Closures

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used when deciding to close an embassy; and in what ways the criteria applied to (a) Paraguay, (b) Lesotho, (c) Swaziland, (d) Madagascar, (e) Bahamas, (f) Kiribati, (g) Tonga, (h) Vanatu and (i) Timor Leste.

Jack Straw: In deciding the changes to the network Iannounced on 15 December 2004, which included the closure of these posts, the key factors I took into account in each case were the contributions of the post towards Foreign and Commonwealth Office priorities, including service delivery, the practicality of cover from elsewhere and the potential savings.

European Court of Human Rights

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2005, Official Report, column 76W, on the European Court of Human Rights, how many cases have been defended by Government Departments at the European Court of Human Rights since 1997; and which was the lead Department in each case.

Kim Howells: The number of cases communicated to the Government by the European Court of Human Rights since 1 November 1998, when a single full-time court was established under Protocol 11, is 789. There are no records of the lead Department for each of these cases.

Holy See

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 954W, on the Holy See, why no advertisement inviting applications for the post of UK Ambassador to the Holy See was published in any national newspaper of Wales;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 954W, on the Holy See, why no advertisement inviting applications for the post of UK Ambassador to the Holy See was published in any national newspaper of Northern Ireland.

Jack Straw: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 7 November 2005, Official Report, columns 17172W.

India

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the government of India about (a) sex-selective abortion and (b) infanticide; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: There has not been any ministerial discussion with any member of the Indian Government on either of these issues.
	Officials at our High Commission in New Delhi monitor the situation and raise our concerns regularly, most recently on 5 October at a meeting between our Deputy High Commissioner and the Chairman of the National Commission for Women. We have also supported the work of the Centre for Women's Development Studies to combat pre-natal sex selection in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Iraq

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of expenditure by the coalition provisional authority of (a) Iraqi funds and (b) US funding since the occupation of Iraq.

Kim Howells: United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1483 (22 May 2003) established the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) and the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) to oversee it. All revenues from the export of Iraq's oil are transferred into the DFI account, with the exception of 5 per cent. of revenues, which are deposited in a fund used to finance legitimate claims for compensation following Iraq's unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1990. UNSCR 1483 authorised the coalition provisional authority (CPA) to act as the administrator of the DFI. The CPA performed this role until 28 June 2004, when control of the DFI was transferred to the sovereign Government of Iraq. Our information indicates that between July 2003 and June 2004 the CPA allocated approximately $6.9 billion in contract awards.
	Media reporting has focused on recent reports by the US Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) and the external auditor KPMG. SIGIR was established under the CPA to provide oversight of CPA operations and programmes.
	SIGIR's report on the period 22 May 2003 to 28 June 2004 examines whether the CPA established and implemented adequate controls over disbursements made to Iraqi ministries. SIGIR found 'less than adequate controls' for approximately $8.8 billion funds in the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) allocated to Iraqi ministries by the CPA.
	Although procedures did not meet the standards of western Governments, we feel the SIGIR report fails to take account of two important factors.
	Firstly, there was an imperative to get ministries up and running quickly against the background of a chaotic bureaucratic legacy bestowed by the Ba'athist regime. This meant relying on the ability of the Iraqi civil service to get ministries functioning and reconstruction projects started. The alternative would have been to institute a system that could have delayed expenditure for months.
	Secondly, the SIGIR report fails to take account of the progress made by the CPA to improve financial management in Iraqi ministries and of the budget process. Under the former regime, budgets and economic data were kept secret. In contrast, the CPA published the Iraqi national budgets for 2003 and 2004 and designed a transparent framework for management of the national budget. It also took measures to improve reporting and record keeping.
	We and coalition partners continue to work with the Iraqi Government, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to ensure transparency and accountability in Iraqi public finances.
	US funding for reconstruction in Iraq is managed by the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO). IRMO was established in May 2004 to co-ordinate the US reconstruction programme in Iraq, in co-operation with the Iraqi Government. Accounting for the financial management of US funds in Iraq is a matter for the US Government.

Iraq

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches have been made to the UK by President Talabani or other representatives of the Iraqi Government to limit UK forces to the guarding of oil pipelines and other strategic installations.

Kim Howells: The Government have received no such representations.

Israel/Palestine

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to assist the tackling of terrorism in Israel and Palestine.

Kim Howells: We continue to call upon the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take action against those who commit terrorist acts. Following the suicide bombing in Hadera on 26 October we continue to urge the Palestinians to make progress in meeting their commitments on security under the roadmap and the Sharm al-Shaikh agreement. I recently discussed the security situation with the Palestinians during my visit to the region on 2730 September.
	We continue to work closely with the US Security Co-ordinator General Ward to help the PA build its capacity on security. We have taken the lead in the EU Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police (EUCOPPS), which is helping to improve Palestinian police effectiveness in delivering law and order.

Maldives

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings ministers have held with representatives of the MaldiveIslands Government in respect of Mohamed Nasheed.

Kim Howells: Ministers have not held any meetings with the Government of the Maldives on this subject. The British High Commission in Colombo, accredited to the Maldives, is monitoring Mohamed Nasheed's trial closely. The High Commissioner has raised our concerns about the trial with the Government of the Maldives on several occasions.

Maldives

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to bring pressure on the Government of the Maldives to ensure that Mohammed Nasheed receives a fair trial.

Kim Howells: The Government monitors developments in the Maldives closely, and we have a regular dialogue with the Government of the Maldives about their democratic and human rights obligations.
	Following the disturbances in August during which Mohammed Nasheed was arrested, the British High Commission in Colombo led an EU fact-finding mission to the Maldives, meeting Government Ministers, officials and detainees, including Mohammed Nasheed. On 2 September, the EU issued a statement that reiterated to the Maldivian authorities their responsibility to uphold the right of political parties to meet freely and to carry out peaceful political activities. It also underlined that it was essential for the fundamental rights of all detainees to be upheld and for the Maldivian authorities to ensure due process in the trial of Nasheed and others. The statement underlined that trials would come under close scrutiny.
	The High Commission in Colombo has since raised these issues regularly at a senior level with the Government of the Maldives. The High Commissioner did so on 26 September with President Gayoom and on 31 October with Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Shaheed. The Deputy High Commissioner also raised these issues with Foreign Minister Shaheed on 27 October following Mr. Nasheed's first court appearance.
	We will continue to monitor events closely and make our concerns known. On 8 November I met with senior colleagues of Mr. Nasheed from the Maldivian Democratic Party to hear their views.

Poland

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has extended his congratulations to the newly elected (a) Prime Minister and (b) President of Poland.

Douglas Alexander: No, it is my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister who has congratulated the new Polish Prime Minister and President. I have, however, congratulated the new Polish Foreign Minister and look forward to working with him and the rest of the new Polish Government in developing the excellent relations that exist between our two countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the UK missions in sub-Saharan Africa get their water and sanitation services through (a) piped networks and (b) tankers or other non-network providers.

Jack Straw: Of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 29 posts in sub-Saharan Africa, 17 receive both their water and sewerage services through mains piped networks from local utility companies. Unreliable or non-existent mains water supply at many missions necessitates that tanks are used for storage, and replenished by tankers, or from our own boreholes. Similarly the lack of main sewers requires some posts to use septic tanks or other private arrangements, some of which require emptying by tankers.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations UK missions in sub-Saharan Africa have made to their host Governments in 2005 on improving water and sanitation services for the population of the country concerned.

Jack Straw: Through the Department for International Development, UK missions are actively engaged in policy dialogue with host Governments about improving water and sanitation services for the poor in 12 African countries: Ethiopia; Nigeria; Sudan; Democratic Republic of Congo; Ghana; Sierra Leone; Tanzania; Uganda; Rwanda; Zambia; Mozambique; and Malawi.
	In March this year, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) announced a doubling of funding over the next three years for improvements to water and sanitation in Africa: up to at least 95 million in 200708.

Sudan

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Darfur.

Ian Pearson: We remain seriously concerned about the situation in Darfur. In his latest report on Darfur, the UN Secretary-General noted a deterioration in the security situation in September and stated that attacks have increased in cruelty and violence. All parties, except the Justice and Equality Movement, were responsible for ceasefire violations. But banditry remains the greatest cause of insecurity, accompanied by frequent harassment and assaults on humanitarian aid workers. The UN Secretary-General stated that, despite this, a greater number of people requiring humanitarian assistance are being reached by UN agencies and non-governmental organisations, who are increasingly and consistently supporting vulnerable people and remote communities. These agencies are doing an excellent job in difficult and often dangerous circumstances.
	This increase in violence, and particularly attacks on humanitarian workers, are entirely unacceptable. We are encouraging anyone with information on the perpetrators to pass it to the relevant bodies for consideration under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1591 and 1593. We continue to press the parties to rein in their fighters and to reach a political agreement in Abuja when talks reconvene on 21 November. We continue to provide practical assistance to the African Union's monitoring mission in Darfur.

Travellers (Advice)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs what advice to travellers to (a) the United States, (b) Israel and (c) Bali was being issued on the Foreign Office website in September.

Kim Howells: Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice is constantly updated. In September 2005 the travel advice for the United States was updated 28 times, for Israel and the Occupied Territories three times and for Indonesia three times.
	United States
	The travel advice was updated 28 times to reflect changes due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. There were no other amendments other than for this reason.
	Israel and the Occupied Territories
	The travel advice was updated on 6 September to reflect an explosion on 5 September in Gaza City that killed four and injured at least 20 others and an update of the disengagement of settlers from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. The travel advice was updated again on 7 September to reflect the murder of Mousa Arafat, and to advise that the security situation in Gaza may deteriorate further. The travel advice was updated again on 13 September to advise against all but essential travel to Gaza City and against all travel to Gaza City at night, including overnight stays.
	Indonesia
	The travel advice was updated on 6 September with minor amendments including one concerning the Indonesian police campaign against illegal drug use. The travel advice was further amended on 21 September with further information about avian influenza, in particular Ragunan Zoo in Jakarta was closed on 19 September after bird flu was detected in caged birds. The travel advice was updated again on 29 September with details of large public demonstrations that were being planned in Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia to protest against fuel shortages and fuel price rises which were to take effect on 1 October.

Uzbekistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Uzbekistan regarding the treatment in detention of opposition leader Sanjar Umarov.

Douglas Alexander: Our Ambassador in Tashkent, David Moran, discussed the case of Sanjar Umarov, leader of the opposition group the Sunshine Coalition, on 25 October with First Deputy Foreign Minister Mustafayev and on 2 November with Foreign Minister Ganiev. David Moran raised our concerns at the treatment of Mr. Umarov in detention and requested medical treatment for Mr. Umarov.
	As Presidency of the EU, we issued a statement on 25 October seeking clarification of the charges against Mr. Umarov and calling on the Uzbek authorities to treat Mr. Umarov according to international norms and to allow him full access to his lawyers, his family and others concerned about his wellbeing.

West Papua

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support a UN-sponsored democratic self-determination referendum to be held in West Papua.

Ian Pearson: The UK supports the territorial integrity of Indonesia. We believe the best solution to the internal differences in Papua is to be found through peaceful dialogue between the Government of Indonesia and representatives of the Papuan people, and the implementation of the Special Autonomy Law of 2001. We welcome President Yudhoyono's recent statement that he is committed to a just, comprehensive and dignified solution, including through consistent implementation of Special Autonomy.

CABINET OFFICE

Political Guidelines

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidelines exist for executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies on making public comments on party political matters.

Jim Murphy: Staff in executive agencies are civilservants, and are therefore required to conduct themselves in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Code.
	Staff in non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are generally not civil servants. However, Cabinet Office guidance on NDPBs requires that they have a staff Code of Conduct, which should include the requirement for staff of public bodies to conduct themselves with impartiality, as well as integrity and honesty.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Pensions

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what role his Department has played in recent negotiations about the reform of public sector pensions.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for East Antrim (Mr. Wilson) on 31 October 2005, Official Report, column 741W.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Women in Politics

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government is taking to increase women's representation in politics at all levels.

Meg Munn: In 2002 we introduced the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act allowing positive measures towards women's increased participation.
	There are now:
	127 women in the House of Commons;
	133 female Peers;
	6 female Cabinet Ministers;
	50 per cent. of the Welsh Assembly are women;
	39.5 per cent. of the Scottish Parliament are women.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Call Centres

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many call centres were run by his Department and its agencies in (a) 200304, (b) 200405 and (c) 200506 to date; and how many and what proportion of calls (i) were handled by an adviser, (ii)were received but abandoned and (iii) received an engaged tone in each year.

David Hanson: No call centres were run by the Northern Ireland Office or its Agencies.

Correspondence

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to improve the Department's performance in replying to hon. Members' correspondence.

Peter Hain: Every effort is made to handle all correspondence effectively and efficiently. All correspondence from hon. Members and Peers is handled in accordance with the principles set out in Handling Correspondence from Members of Parliament, Members of the House of Lords, MEPs and Members of Devolved Assemblies: Guidance for Departments. The same principles apply when handling correspondence from members of the public.
	Information relating to the performance of Departments in replying to Members/Peers correspondence is published on an annual basis. The report for 2004 was published on 6 April 2005, Official Report, columns 13740WS.

Departmental Consultations

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list formal consultations being sponsored by his Department and its agencies; and what the (a) commencement date and (b) deadline for responses is in each case.

David Hanson: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 Title of Consultation Commencement date Deadline for response 
		
		
			 Consultation paper on Electoral Registration in Northern Ireland 5 August 2005 14 October 2005 
			 Consultation paper on proposals on the future of donations to political parties in Northern Ireland 5 August 2005 14 October 2005 
			 Amendment to Code D of the Codes of Practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and Part 2 of the Section 99 Code of Practice issued under the Terrorism Act 2000 19 September 2005 12 December 2005 
			 Consultation on Equality Impact Assessment into the terms of the Police Voluntary Severance Scheme 6 May 2005 (75) 
		
	
	(75)Deadline deferred pending the outcome of on-going legal proceedings in respect of the Severance Scheme.

Domestic Violence

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many incidents of domestic violence have been recorded in each of the district command units in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many incidents of domestic violence reported in Northern Ireland have been violence (a) by men against women and (b) by women against men in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: PSNI are the only organisation that record domestic violence incidents and it is believed that the very nature of domestic violence abusein that much of the abuse takes place behind closed doors with victims often living in fearthat most of the incidents of this crime go unreported.
	The number of domestic violence incidents reported to the Police Service of Northern Ireland continues to rise annually. The number of incidents reported rose from 16,926 in 200304 to 20,959 in 200405 (an increase of 24 per cent.). It is recognised that there is considerable under reporting of incidents of domestic violence and an increase in reports is a welcome indication in confidence in the police to take effective action and support victims. PSNI figures for domestic incidents across District Command Units are available for the last three years only.
	PSNI Information is available only on the total number of male and female victims. Figures from the Northern Ireland Crime Survey 200304 indicate that 20 per cent. of all females claim to have been victims of domestic violence at some time in their lives, while the victimisation rate in males is lower at 11 per cent.
	PSNI statistics are available in the tables.
	The Government have recently launched a new Domestic Violence Strategy for Northern Ireland.
	
		Domestic incidents, crimes by District Command Unit and number of victims for April 2002 to March 2005
		
			  200203 
			  Total number of: 
			  Incidents Crimes Male victims Female victims Victims under 17 
		
		
			 Antrim 405 240 50 207 5 
			 Ards 444 212 42 209 4 
			 East Belfast 1,085 457 56 398 3 
			 North Belfast 960 399 33 366 0 
			 South Belfast 520 283 40 288 4 
			 West Belfast 1,089 892 198 806 18 
			 Carrickfergus 379 160 15 143 2 
			 Castlereagh 399 191 54 165 1 
			 Larne 354 188 42 143 3 
			 Lisburn 1,198 560 97 460 3 
			 Newtownabbey 641 281 43 235 3 
			 North Down 643 326 72 404 7 
			 Urban Region 8,117 4,189 742 3,824 53 
		
	
	
		
			  200203 
			  Total number of: 
			  Incidents Crimes Male victims Female victims Victims under 17 
		
		
			 Armagh 308 145 47 256 5 
			 Ballymena 266 174 26 145 3 
			 Ballymoney 146 72 11 61 0 
			 Banbridge 351 199 53 279 18 
			 Coleraine 531 286 68 385 19 
			 Cookstown 329 160 39 115 6 
			 Craigavon 778 348 94 514 26 
			 Down 240 166 16 146 4 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 259 194 35 179 0 
			 Fermanagh 440 310 42 263 6 
			 Foyle 1,391 590 69 494 9 
			 Limavady 373 160 22 128 10 
			 Magherafelt 426 153 26 122 6 
			 Moyle 86 37 4 33 0 
			 Newry Mourne 591 310 47 262 7 
			 Omagh 527 302 42 257 9 
			 Strabane 353 166 31 164 7 
			 Rural Region 7,395 3,772 672 3,803 135 
			   
			 Total for Regions 15,512 79,611 1,414 7,627 188 
		
	
	
		
			  200304 
			  Total number of: 
			  Incidents Crimes Male victims Female victims Victims under 17 
		
		
			 Antrim 537 257 42 207 8 
			 Ards 473 380 68 312 0 
			 East Belfast 1,491 420 45 371 4 
			 North Belfast 1,023 434 52 368 14 
			 South Belfast 553 272 36 227 9 
			 West Belfast 977 681 80 599 2 
			 Carrickfergus 440 186 24 160 2 
			 Castlereagh 512 213 39 165 9 
			 Larne 295 155 31 122 2 
			 Lisburn 1,352 682 121 538 23 
			 Newtownabbey 768 351 66 272 13 
			 North Down 478 263 40 220 3 
			 Urban Region 8,899 4,294 644 3,561 89 
		
	
	
		
			  200304 
			  Total number of: 
			  Incidents Crimes Male victims Female victims Victims under 17 
		
		
			 Armagh 353 195 29 161 5 
			 Ballymena 289 162 15 146 1 
			 Ballymoney 168 92 16 72 4 
			 Banbridge 352 211 22 184 5 
			 Coleraine 683 358 47 295 16 
			 Cookstown 430 186 44 140 2 
			 Craigavon 912 493 76 402 15 
			 Down 236 162 14 146 2 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 258 169 25 144 0 
			 Fermanagh 473 321 33 284 4 
			 Foyle 1,491 685 112 563 10 
			 Limavady 359 168 22 141 5 
			 Magherafelt 453 208 42 154 12 
			 Moyle 69 40 6 33 1 
			 Newry Mourne 513 250 36 212 2 
			 Omagh 580 330 49 270 11 
			 Strabane 408 241 41 195 5 
			 Rural Region 8,027 4,271 629 3,542 100 
			   
			 Total for Regions 16,926 8,565 1,273 7,103 189 
		
	
	
		
			  200405 
			  Total number of: 
			  Incidents Crimes Male victims Female victims Victims under 17 Gender/age unknown 
		
		
			 Antrim 628 235 52 164 13 6 
			 Ards 728 345 87 235 21 2 
			 East Belfast 1,246 397 98 272 22 5 
			 North Belfast 1,843 630 113 462 38 17 
			 South Belfast 853 325 78 229 11 7 
			 West Belfast 1,086 522 91 401 18 12 
			 Carrickfergus 364 152 28 115 9 0 
			 Castlereagh 617 187 43 131 11 2 
			 Larne 293 111 21 80 8 2 
			 Lisburn 1,782 819 197 556 48 18 
			 Newtownabbey 863 395 94 273 23 5 
			 North Down 774 294 64 210 16 4 
			 Urban Region 11,077 4,412 966 3128 238 80 
		
	
	
		
			  200405 
			  Total number of: 
			  Incidents Crimes Male victims Female victims Victims under 17 Gender/age unknown 
		
		
			 Armagh 353 166 44 115 6 1 
			 Ballymena 580 311 62 230 17 2 
			 Ballymoney 255 122 28 84 9 1 
			 Banbridge 346 200 57 127 10 6 
			 Coleraine 824 309 54 228 21 6 
			 Cookstown 446 196 56 118 21 1 
			 Craigavon 1,233 556 129 375 30 22 
			 Down 363 147 32 98 12 5 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 323 122 29 88 4 1 
			 Fermanagh 518 151 31 104 12 4 
			 Foyle 1,921 651 126 469 44 12 
			 Limavady 392 204 43 146 13 2 
			 Magherafelt 448 99 22 71 5 1 
			 Moyle 102 52 12 37 2 1 
			 Newry Mourne 617 268 50 199 11 8 
			 Omagh 666 219 48 157 11 3 
			 Strabane 495 323 62 231 22 8 
			 Rural Region 9,882 4,096 885 2,877 250 84 
			
			 Total for Regions 20,959 8,508 1,851 6,005 488 164

Domestic Violence

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what strategies the Police Service of Northern Ireland has put in place to deal with incidents of domestic violence.

David Hanson: The number of domestic violence incidents reported to the Police Service of Northern Ireland continues to rise annually. The number of incidents reported rose from 16,926 in 200304 to 20,959 in 200405 (an increase of 24 per cent.). The number of incidents reported where offences were identified fell slightly from 8,565 in 200304 to 8,508 in 200405. These figures do not include breaches of non-molestation orders (1,148 breaches are recorded).
	The PSNI is represented on the regional steering group on domestic violence and worked in partnership with all the other agencies in the development of the Government strategy 'Tackling Violence at Home'. The strategy was launched in October 2005 and aims to develop and implement a multi-agency co-ordinated response to domestic violence across Northern Ireland. The Police Service is also represented at various regional and local domestic violence forums and has been involved in training provided to probation officers, participants in the men overcoming domestic violence programme, and to staff in the Northern Ireland Court Service.
	In September 2004 the Police Service introduced a new domestic violence policy, The policy aims to:
	record, respond and investigate effectively all reported incidents of domestic violence in a consistent, robust and proactive manner;
	maintain specialist domestic violence investigators in every police district;
	ensure that every reported domestic violence investigation is appropriately supervised;
	ensure that, where a power of arrest exists, then only in exceptional circumstances will that power not be used;
	ensure that every reported victim of domestic violence is offered the services of a Police Service domestic violence officer and provided with information relating to local statutory and voluntary support agencies;
	take adequate steps to protect children (including unborn children) who may be at risk from domestic violence by engaging with the appropriate authority;
	remove access to all licensed and personal protection firearms where domestic violence has been reported or identified; and
	identify and meet the needs of members of minority and vulnerable groups who report domestic violence.
	This policy is currently the subject of an annual review.
	To date the Police Service have trained 61 specialist domestic violence investigators with a further course being planned for the new year. These officers in addition to supporting victims will investigate serious physical assaults and repeat offences. In addition to the existing corporate literature the Service has published a small pocket information booklet, which provides extensive information on safety advice, Police Service policy and details of support agencies. To date over 40,000 pocket booklets have been circulated to police districts, health trusts, solicitors, voluntary and statutory support agencies. Further work is ongoing to develop risk assessment procedures and guidance.
	It is recognised that there is considerable under reporting of incidents of domestic violence and an increase in reports is a welcome indication in confidence in the police to take effective action and support victims.

Education Opt-outs

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of (a) males and (b) females in the Province opted out of both education and training at 16 years of age in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The proportion of 16-year-olds not in education or training in Northern Ireland is set out as follows (N.I. census data 2001):
	
		Proportion of 16-year-olds not in education and training in 2001
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 Males 9.6 
			 Female 4.7 
			 Total 7.2

Housing

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether (a) the Department and (b) the Housing Executive maintains a (i) mandatory and (ii)voluntary register of landlords of privately rented residential property in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Housing Executive maintains the rent register, which contains prescribed information in relation to registered tenancies under the Rent (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 and a register of the names and addresses of persons who are managers of houses in multiple occupation.

Housing

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend the licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupancy to the whole of the private rented residential sector in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: There are no plans at this time to extend the current licensing system for houses in multiple occupancy (HMD's) to the rest of the private rented sector in Northern Ireland.

Housing

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Housing Executive properties there are in each Northern Ireland housing district.

David Hanson: The information requested, as at October 2005, is as follows:
	
		
			 NIHE district Total stock 
		
		
			 Belfast 1 2,209 
			 Belfast 2 3,728 
			 Belfast 3 3,283 
			 Belfast 4 3,676 
			 Belfast 5 3,813 
			 Belfast 6 3,315 
			 Belfast 7 4,155 
			   
			 Bangor 2,936 
			 Newtownards 4,191 
			 Castlereagh 3,955 
			 Lisburn Antrim Street 4,652 
			 Lisburn Dairyfarm 2,026 
			 Downpatrick 2,536 
			   
			 Banbridge 1,879 
			 Newry 3,318 
			 Armagh 2,087 
			 Lurgan/Brownlow 2,882 
			 Portadown 1,707 
			 Dungannon 1,897 
			 Fermanagh 2,200 
			   
			 Ballymena 3,087 
			 Antrim 2,701 
			 Newtownabbey 1 2,448 
			 Newtownabbey 2 2,334 
			 Carrickfergus 2,086 
			 Larne 1,693 
			 Ballycastle 888 
			 Ballymoney 1,556 
			 Coleraine 3,270 
			   
			 Waterloo Place 2,501 
			 Waterside 2,611 
			 Collon Terrace 2,580 
			 Limavady 1,545 
			 Magherafelt 1,413 
			 Strabane 2,362 
			 Omagh 1,970 
			 Cookstown 1,123 
			   
			 NI total 96,613

Housing

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Housing Executive properties have been sold to (a) tenants, (b) property developers and (c) others in each Northern Ireland housing district in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: The information is not available in the format requested, However, the following table provides information at district council level, showing all sales of Housing Executive properties over the last 10 years.
	
		Sales of NEHE dwellings
		
			 District council area 199596 199697 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Antrim 177 154 163 146 128 191 141 168 173 121 
			 Ards 178 138 119 136 151 162 202 172 232 130 
			 Armagh 185 129 164 180 154 155 177 135 151 58 
			 Ballymena 165 158 147 103 134 224 96 147 167 141 
			 Ballymoney 117 116 123 88 58 91 93 73 79 54 
			 Banbridge 128 155 139 137 134 106 145 124 117 75 
			 Belfast 514 667 849 732 1,024 1,079 858 1,605 1,079 539 
			 Carrickfergus 91 72 107 77 77 138 133 176 156 74 
			 Castlereagh 179 146 142 177 140 228 196 215 205 125 
			 Coleraine 203 161 204 138 106 157 131 133 108 85 
			 Cookstown 54 64 81 71 77 106 61 92 96 55 
			 Craigavon 251 279 287 210 193 178 194 173 252 131 
			 Derry 454 483 473 409 383 376 406 576 584 309 
			 Down 172 156 152 108 141 191 242 193 202 104 
			 Dungannon 126 145 135 138 122 109 151 141 119 59 
			 Fermanagh 160 202 170 138 136 157 143 166 135 88 
			 Larne 79 76 56 73 61 91 44 66 82 36 
			 Limavady 131 115 129 102 113 123 87 111 96 56 
			 Lisburn 309 252 259 256 265 477 503 505 498 230 
			 Magherafelt 135 137 131 109 136 131 92 119 103 51 
			 Moyle 57 62 86 56 27 63 38 39 54 34 
			 Newry and Mourne 298 236 302 340 269 328 287 266 312 131 
			 Newtownabbey 138 172 141 173 133 284 247 240 245 159 
			 North Down 122 102 84 80 78 121 115 127 170 66 
			 Omagh 130 138 122 117 118 140 115 111 84 60 
			 Strabane 212 140 162 101 168 149 114 181 153 82 
			 Total 4,765 4,665 4,927 4,395 4,526 5,555 5,011 6,054 5,652 3,053

Illegal Fuel

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been responsible for testing for illegal fuel in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and where they were based.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	In each of the last four financial years the total number of staff responsible for testing illegal fuel in Northern Ireland was:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 200102 116 
			 200203 (76)144 
			 200304 126 
			 200405 116 
		
	
	(76)Includes 18 fixed term contract staff and 10 strike force staff specifically used for oils work.
	All of the above staff were based in Belfast and were deployed across Northern Ireland. In addition to these officers testing illegal fuel, officers were also deployed in intelligence, criminal investigation and assurance activity in relation to the supply and use of illegal fuel.

Justice (Northern Ireland) Act

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to amend section 57 of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002.

David Hanson: Section 57 of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 inserts provision for youth conferences and youth conference plans in the Criminal Justice (Children)(Northern Ireland) Order 1998.
	I have no plans to amend this provision.

Property Valuations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have to conduct a new valuation of properties in Northern Ireland for (a) domestic local taxation purposes and (b) water rates.

Angela Smith: A revaluation of domestic property in Northern Ireland on a capital value basis is currently under way. The capital values will be published in April 2006 and will be used to determine household rates bills and the variable element of water charges from April 2007.

Race Crimes

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland will include in its annual report statistics on the number of (a) reported race crimes, (b) cases prosecuted, (c) cases securing convictions and (d) cases not prosecuted.

David Hanson: The Government take racially motivated crime very seriously. The Racial Equality Strategy, published on 19 July 2005, sets a framework to allow the Government to tackle the issues of racial inequality in Northern Ireland and to eradicate racism and hate crime. In addition, The Criminal Justice (No.2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 made provisions for increased penalties for offences motivated by hostility towards a person's race.
	The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPS) is currently in the process of developing a recording and monitoring mechanism in cases where, in the judgment of a Public Prosecutor, there was a racial motivation behind offences. Statistics will however not be available for the 200506 PPS Annual Report.

Special Schools

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many special schools have (a) opened and (b) closed in the Province since 1997.

Angela Smith: One new special school opened in June 2005 and 15 units attached to mainstream schools have also been established over the period since 1997. Three school amalgamations (involving 7 special schools) have also been announced. There have been two special school closures since 1997. The following tables contain detail of this information.
	
		Special school closures
		
			 Education and Library Board area  School  Date of closure 
		
		
			 Belfast Jaffe Centre 31 August 2001 
			 Southern Fallowfield Special 31 August 2002 
		
	
	
		New schools
		
			 Education and Library Board area  Schools  Date of opening 
		
		
			 Western Strabanemulti-functional: moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, speech and language June 2005 
		
	
	
		Special school amalgamations
		
			 Education and Library Board area  Schools  Date of amalgamation 
		
		
			 Western Heatherbank and Cranny 1 September 2003 
			 Western Limegrove and Glasvey When new school is completedestimated 2008 
			 North-Eastern Beechgrove, Dunfane and Loughan Recently published proposalobjection period ends on 8 December 2005 
		
	
	
		Special units
		
			 Education and Library Board area  Schools  Type of unit  Date opened 
		
		
			 Southern St. Patrick's HS, Keady Unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties 1 September 1998 
			 Belfast Taughmonagh PS Speech and Language Unit 1 September 1999 
			 South-Eastern Clandeboye PS, Bangor Unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties 1 September 1999 
			 Belfast Belvoir Park PS Speech and Language Unit 1 September 1999 
			 North-Eastern Ballymoney Model PS Partial Hearing Unit closed, Speech and Language Unit opened 1 September 2001 
			 Southern St. Patrick's PS, Keady Speech and Language Unit 1 September 2001 
			 Southern St. Patrick's PS, Dungannon Speech and Language Unit 1 September 2002 
			 South-Eastern Clough PS Speech and Language Unit 1 September 2002 
			 South-Eastern St. Mary's PS, Kircubbin Unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties 1 September 2002 
			 Western Gibson PS I Can Pre-school Unit 1 September 2003 
			 North-Eastern Moyle PS Transfer of MLD Unit from former Antiville PS 1 September 2005 
			 Southern Christian Bros. PS, Armagh Unit for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder 1 September 2005 
			 Southern St. Mary's PS, Banbridge Unit for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder 1 September 2005 
			 Southern Primate Dixon, Coalisland Unit for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder 1 September 2005 
			 Southern St. Joseph's Convent PS, Newry Conversion to a unit for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder plus new unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties 1 September 2005

Spiked Drinks

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he collects on the prevalence of spiking drinks in the Province.

David Hanson: A range of statutory and voluntary sector organisations work together to raise awareness of the dangers of drink spiking. This has included beer mat and poster campaigns in pubs and clubs funded by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Health Promotion Agency.
	It is difficult to estimate the prevalence of drink spiking in Northern Ireland. Spiking drinks can take many forms and includes the addition of alcohol, prescription drugs and illegal drugs (eg Ecstasy) as well as the so called date rape drugs such as Rohypnol. Victims may not realise their drink was spiked, and even when a more serious offence has occurred the victim may not be aware until some time after the incident. In some cases the victim may not tell anyone what has happened to them.
	Drink spiking may constitute an offence under the Offences Against The Persons Act 1861 (Section 22, administering poison to endanger life; and Section 23, administering poison to aggrieve). In 200405 a total of six cases were recorded under these Sections of the Act. However it is not possible to easily differentiate between cases of drink spiking and other poisonings. Drink spiking is difficult to prove and is often connected with more serious offences such as sexual assaults. Consequently in many cases the more serious offence will be recorded rather than those offences under Sections 22 and 23 of the Act.

Substitute Teachers

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the spending by each education and library board in the Province on substitute teachers in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The amount spent by each of the education and library boards and grant maintained integrated schools on substitute teachers in the last five years is in the following table.
	
		
		
			 Board area 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 BELB 6,824,662 7,182,863 8,053,759 8,242,900 7,594,513 
			 NEELB 8,247,465 8,891,204 9,851,452 10,064,914 9,328,754 
			 SEELB 7,160,509 7,910,645 8,583,079 9,106,492 8,393,759 
			 SELB 7,922,653 8,719,900 9,110,143 9,617,584 9,650,490 
			 WELB 6,335,935 6,864,352 7,704,919 8,164,700 8,114,576 
			 GMI 1,255,746 1,392,574 1,457,037 1,481,661 1,629,538 
			 Total 37,746,970 40,961,538 44,760,389 46,678,251 44,711,630

Women Sector (Funding)

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes he plans to make to the funding arrangements for the Northern Ireland women'sector.

David Hanson: The Government has provided initial financial support and established a cross Departmental Review Group to consider longer term support to women's organisations delivering services following the end of previous funding streams in the first financial year.
	Following consideration of the report of the review group I extended the short term programme and with ministerial colleagues have set in motion potential longer term support for these organisations. This means that we have been able to provide an additional 1,850,000 in the current financial year to protect these key organisations.
	With regard to the future women's centres will have to demonstrate and provide supporting evidence of need for these services and will have to compete with others that may want to deliver the same services, however given the capacity of the centres I am confident that they will continue to serve those in most need for many years to come.

Warm Homes Scheme

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many households received funding from the Warm Homes Scheme in the last 12 months in each district council area in the Province.

David Hanson: Under the Warm Homes Scheme, eligible applicants are provided with insulation measures. The Warm Homes Plus scheme provides heating and insulation measures for all eligible pensioners.
	The information is as follows:
	
		
			 District council Number of households in receipt of insulation measures(77) Number of households in receipt of heating measures(77) 
		
		
			 Antrim 160 100 
			 Ards 239 85 
			 Armagh 320 166 
			 Ballyrnena 236 93 
			 Ballymoney 85 53 
			 Banbridge 224 79 
			 Belfast 1,285 553 
			 Carrickfergus 89 55 
			 Castlereagh 238 105 
			 Coleraine 155 106 
			 Cookstown 308 140 
			 Craigavon 467 217 
			 Derry 628 232 
			 Down 259 139 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 370 232 
			 Fermanagh 240 186 
			 Larne 100 50 
			 Limavady 175 74 
			 Lisburn 342 146 
			 Magherafelt 140 86 
			 Moyle 77 46 
			 Newry and Mourne 643 286 
			 Newtownabbey 359 201 
			 North Down 363 131 
			 Omagh 316 120 
			 Strabane 183 90 
		
	
	(77)These columns include those households which received both heating and insulation measures.